News Release

Pivotal Phase IIb/III Clinical Trial for Tectin™ cleared to start immediately

Date: January 8, 2004

TSX Venture Exchange Trading Symbol: WXI
http://www.wextech.ca
E-mail: wex@wextech.ca

International Wex Technologies Inc. ("Wex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received a No Objection Letter (NOL) from Health Canada to initiate the pivotal Phase IIb/III clinical trial for Tectin™ in moderate to severe inadequately controlled cancer related pain.

The trial will be a multi-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design whose primary objective is to compare the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous Tectin™ versus placebo in reducing the intensity of cancer related pain.

This study will involve 15 - 25 centers across Canada. Hence in order to standardize and ensure the quality of data collection, prior to trial commencement, the Company has planned an "Investigator's Meeting" to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from January 23 to 25, 2004.

This 2-day meeting is of great importance for trial performance: all participating sites will jointly review the study protocol, and data recordings will be standardized in compliance with Good Clinical Practices. The participants attending the meeting will include the Qualified Investigator, Study Co-ordinator, and/or Research Nurse for each site, as well as Clinical Research Associates and representatives from Wex.

International Wex Technologies Inc., a publicly listed neuro-bioscience company (WXI), is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative drug products, primarily for pain management. The Company's lead compound, Tetrodotoxin, is a sodium channel blocker and is the platform for the Company's development of a portfolio of proprietary products in the field of analgesia, drug addiction withdrawal treatment, and local anaesthesia.

For additional information on our products visit us at http://www.wextech.ca or call Gordon Stanley, Corporate Communications at 604-683-8880, or at 1-800-722-7549.

Per: Donna Shum, Corporate Secretary

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this News Release.