MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Jan. 4, 2012) - MethylGene Inc. (TSX:MYG) today announced the appointment of Rachel Humphrey, MD, to the post of Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Humphrey is board certified in Medical Oncology and has led the development of multiple oncology agents, two of which are currently commercialized (Nexavar® and YERVOY®).

"Dr. Humphrey brings a wealth of drug development experience to MethylGene, and we look forward to her actively guiding our clinical development programs, particularly MGCD265 for the treatment of cancer and MGCD290 for the treatment of fungal diseases," said Charles Grubsztajn, President and CEO of MethylGene.

Dr. Humphrey joins MethylGene from Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), where she was most recently Vice President, Global Development Lead, Immuno-Oncology. From 2003 to 2011, Dr. Humphrey supervised a number of in-licensed and internal development programs including the Phase II - IV development of ipilimumab (YERVOY®), which achieved global approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in 2011. From 1997 until 2003 Dr. Humphrey held increasingly senior clinical development positions at Bayer (XETRA: BAYN), leading the IND filing and the development of the multiple kinase inhibitor sorafenib (Nexavar®), which subsequently achieved global approval for advanced renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dr. Humphrey received her B.A. degree in biochemistry from Harvard University, her M.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University, and completed her Medical Residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. From 1992 until 1997 Dr. Humphrey worked at the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), first as a Clinical Oncology Fellow and later as a Staff Physician/Scientist in the NCI's HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch.

About MethylGene

MethylGene Inc. (TSX:MYG) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops novel therapeutics for cancer and infectious disease. The Company's lead product candidates include: MGCD265, an oral Met/VEGF receptor kinase inhibitor that is in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for solid tumor cancers, and MGCD290, a fungal Hos2 inhibitor, for use in combination with fluconazole for fungal infections, which will start randomized Phase 2 trials in the near term. The Company's partners include Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., and EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Certain statements contained in this news release, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, may constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management of MethylGene, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond MethylGene's control. These risks and uncertainties could cause future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such results, performance or achievements include, but are not limited to, the timing and effects of regulatory action; the continuation of collaborations; the results of clinical trials; the timing of enrollment or completion of clinical trials; the success, efficacy or safety of MGCD265, MGCD290 or mocetinostat (MGCD0103); the ability to scale up, formulate and manufacture sufficient GMP, clinical or commercialization quantities of MGCD265, MGCD290 or mocetinostat, and the relative success or the lack of success in developing and gaining regulatory approval and/or market acceptance for any compound or new product including MGCD265, MGCD290 or mocetinostat. Such risks include, but are not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, economic conditions in the pharmaceutical industry, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which MethylGene does business, stock market volatility, fluctuations in costs, expectations with respect to our intellectual property position and our ability to protect our intellectual property and operate our business without infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others, changes in the competitive landscape including changes in the standard of care for the various indications in which MethylGene is involved, and changes to the competitive environment due to consolidation, as well as other risks, as described in MethylGene's Annual Information Form for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010, under the heading "Risk Factors" which you are urged to read and all other documents filed by the Company that can be found at [ www.sedar.com ]. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements included in this presentation. These statements speak only as an update on the date they are made and MethylGene is under no obligation to revise such statements as a result of any event, circumstance or otherwise except in accordance with law.