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Table of Contents

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1


ADVENTRX ACQUIRES ADDITIONAL ONCOLOGY DRUG THROUGH EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2005--ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(AMEX:ANX - News) and privately held SD Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SD Pharma) today
announced SD Pharma's grant to ADVENTRX of an exclusive license of certain
rights to ANX-530, a novel emulsion formulation of vinorelbine tartrate. In
preclinical testing, ANX-530 demonstrated markedly reduced vein irritation
following repeated IV injections compared with Navelbine(R), GlaxoSmithKline's
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved form of vinorelbine. Severe
phlebitis is a known complication of standard vinorelbine therapy. Vinorelbine
is currently used as a monotherapy or in combination with other chemotherapeutic
agents for the treatment of non-small-cell lung, breast, ovarian and other
cancers.

ADVENTRX currently plans to pursue a 505(b)(2) regulatory path for ANX-530 and
has initiated discussions with the FDA for the clinical trial design. The
Company is preparing for its pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) meeting with the
FDA scheduled for December 2005.

Section 505(b)(2) of the U.S. Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act allows the FDA to
approve a follow-on drug on the basis of data in the scientific literature or
data used by the FDA in the approval of other drugs. This procedure potentially
makes it easier for drug manufacturers to obtain rapid approval of new forms of
drugs based on proprietary data of the original drug manufacturer.

"We view the development of this novel formulation of vinorelbine as a valuable
improvement in a well-established cancer therapy," said Brian M. Culley, vice
president of business development for ADVENTRX. "Furthermore, ANX-530 is an
excellent fit with our strategy to broaden our product pipeline and to
commercialize treatments that improve upon the safety and performance of
currently marketed therapies."

"We recognized a significant advantage in developing vinorelbine in a delivery
vehicle that prevents direct contact with cells lining the vein as a means of
reducing tissue damage at the injection site in patients suffering from cancer,"
said Paul J. Marangos, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of SD Pharma. "I am confident in
ADVENTRX's ability to efficiently advance this compound through the regulatory
process."

Vinorelbine works by disrupting microtubule formation and is a member of the
class of antineoplastic drugs known as vinca alkaloids, agents that inhibit
cellular replication and ultimately cause cellular death. Vinorelbine and other
drugs in the vinca alkaloid category are classified as vesicants and may cause
severe injection site reactions. Vinorelbine can cause both irritant and
vesicant types of injection site reactions. Irritants cause an acute and limited
irritation to the vein while vesicants cause an injection site reaction. Studies
have shown injection site reactions, including erythema, pain at injection site,
and vein discoloration, occur in approximately one-third of non-small-cell lung
cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with vinorelbine.

The license agreement between ADVENTRX and SD Pharma grants ADVENTRX exclusive
U.S. rights to ANX-530 and all future intellectual property related to vinca
alkaloid formulations, including compositions for delivering highly
water-soluble drugs such as vinca alkaloids and methods of using such
compositions.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 80% of the more than
173,000 Americans diagnosed with lung cancer each year have NSCLC. Lung cancer
is the leading cause of cancer death and more than 160,000 people in the U.S.
will die each year from the disease. Breast cancer is the most common non-skin
cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death in women with more than
200,000 new cases diagnosed in the U.S. annually. Additionally, each year there
are more than 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed and more than 16,000
deaths from the disease.

About ADVENTRX

ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical research and development company
focused on introducing new technologies for anticancer and antiviral treatments
that improve the performance and safety of

existing drugs by addressing significant problems such as drug metabolism,
toxicity, bioavailability, and resistance. The Company's lead compound,
CoFactor, is a biomodulator of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a widely used cancer
chemotherapy. CoFactor is currently being tested with 5-FU in a U.S.-based Phase
II and an EU-based Phase IIb clinical trial as a first-line treatment of
metastatic colorectal cancer. In addition, CoFactor has received clearance under
a special protocol assessment from the FDA to begin a Phase III pivotal clinical
trial for metastatic colorectal cancer. More information can be found on the
Company's Web site at www.adventrx.com.

About SD Pharmaceuticals Inc.

SD Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately-held formulation innovation company that
targets approved drugs that display formulation-related safety and efficacy
constraints sufficient to warrant Black Box safety warnings with the goal of
improving these parameters through novel reformulation technology. The Company
has a portfolio of patent-protected reformulated cancer and infectious disease
drugs that it believes can be developed utilizing the 505(b)2 regulatory path.
Further information can be found at www.sdpharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements Regarding ADVENTRX

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of
the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, regarding ADVENTRX. Such statements are made based on management's current
expectations and beliefs. Actual results may vary from those currently
anticipated based upon a number of factors, including uncertainties inherent in
the drug development process, the timing and success of clinical trials, the
validity of research results, and the receipt of necessary approvals from the
FDA and other regulatory agencies. For a discussion of such risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained
in the forward-looking statements regarding ADVENTRX, see the section titled
"Risk Factors" in ADVENTRX's last quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as
other reports that ADVENTRX files from time to time with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements regarding ADVENTRX are
qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. ADVENTRX undertakes no
obligation to release publicly any revisions, which may be made to reflect
events or circumstances after the date hereof.

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Contact:

     ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals
     Andrea Lynn, 858-552-0866
     or
     SD Pharmaceuticals Inc.
     Paul J. Marangos, 619-787-4083
     pjm@sdpharma.com
     or
     Investor Contact:
     Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates, Inc.
     Jody Cain/Brandi Floberg, 310-691-7100
     jcain@lhai.com
     bfloberg@lhai.com