EXHIBIT 99.2


                          [VION PHARMACEUTICALS LOGO]





                                COMPANY CONTACT:      Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                                                      Howard B. Johnson, CFO
                                                      (203) 498-4210 phone



                   Vion Presents Clinical Data on Triapine'r'
               in Combination with Gemcitabine at ASCO'r' Meeting


NEW HAVEN, CT, June 2, 2003 - VION PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (NASDAQ SMALLCAP: VION)
announced today that clinical data from a Phase 1 trial of its anti-cancer agent
Triapine'r' in combination with gemcitabine were presented in a poster session
at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago,
Illinois. The trial was conducted at the City of Hope National Medical Center in
Duarte, California and the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

In the study, Triapine'r' was administered intravenously over 2-4 hours followed
by a 30-minute intravenous infusion of gemcitabine. Treatment was repeated
weekly for three weeks followed by a week of rest. The trial enrolled 26
patients with advanced cancer of different origins whose disease had progressed
after standard therapy or for which standard therapy was not considered
effective.

The major observations from the trial include:

          o    Triapine'r' achieves serum concentrations which are capable of
               enhancing gemcitabine activity in tumor cell lines.

          o    A standard dose and schedule of gemcitabine can be administered
               with Triapine'r' and produces a toxicity profile similar to that
               expected for gemcitabine alone.

          o    Among 22 patients that were evaluable for tumor response, three
               confirmed objective responses were observed, including one
               complete response in a patient with adenocarcinoma of unknown
               origin, and partial responses in a patient with non-small-cell
               lung cancer and a patient with esophageal cancer.

Dr. Mario Sznol, Vice President, Clinical Affairs, stated, "Viewed in the
context of the preclinical data, the Phase 1 data are encouraging and support
further development of Triapine'r' in combination with gemcitabine." He added,
"We have initiated Phase 2 trials in non-small-cell lung cancer and pancreatic
cancer. If the data from the Phase 2 trials provide additional







evidence that Triapine'r' can enhance the anti-tumor activity of gemcitabine, we
will initiate Phase 3 trials."

Triapine'r' is designed to be a potent inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, an
enzyme important to DNA synthesis. Gemcitabine is sold under the brand name
Gemzar'r' by Eli Lilly & Company.

Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel
agents for the treatment of cancer. Vion's portfolio of agents includes:
Triapine'r', a potent inhibitor of a key step in DNA synthesis; VNP40101M, a
unique DNA alkylating agent; and TAPET'r', a modified Salmonella vector used to
deliver anticancer agents directly to tumors. For additional information on Vion
and its research and product development programs, visit the company's Internet
web site at WWW.VIONPHARM.COM.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are
subject to certain risk factors which may cause Vion's plans to differ or
results to vary from those expected, including Vion's ability to continue as a
going concern, which is dependent on securing external sources of funding to
continue its operations, the inability to access capital and funding on
favorable terms, continued operating losses and the inability to continue
operations as a result, its dependence on regulatory approval for its products,
delayed or unfavorable results of drug trials, the possibility that favorable
results of earlier clinical trials are not predictive of safety and efficacy
results in later clinical trials, the need for additional research and testing,
and a variety of other risks set forth from time to time in Vion's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risks
discussed in Vion's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2002. Except in special circumstances in which a duty to update arises under law
when prior disclosure becomes materially misleading in light of subsequent
events, Vion does not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements
to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events.


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