Exhibit 99.1

                      PharmaFrontiers Acquires Autologous T
                  Cell Vaccine Rights for Rheumatoid Arthritis


    THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17,
2006--PharmaFrontiers Corp. (OTCBB:PFTR), a company involved in the
development and commercialization of cell therapies, announced today
that it has acquired an exclusive worldwide license for the
intellectual property rights and research results of an autologous T
cell vaccine for rheumatoid arthritis from the Shanghai Institutes for
Biological Sciences (SIBS), Chinese Academy of Sciences of the
People's Republic of China.
    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more
than two million adults in the U.S. have rheumatoid arthritis, an
autoimmune disease. Spending in the U.S. on the treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis is projected to grow to $9.5 billion annually by
2013, according to Decision Resources, an independent research firm
focused on the pharmaceutical industry.
    The SIBS' initial human clinical trial results indicate that T
cell vaccination induces immune responses that correlate with clinical
improvements measured as reductions in ACR50 (American College
Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, which measures joint swelling and
tenderness and other factors such as pain and disability) and
reductions in rheumatoid arthritis laboratory parameters.
    Pursuant to the license agreement, in exchange for an initial
payment and a running royalty on the sale of commercialized products,
PharmaFrontiers receives the exclusive license and all information and
data related to the SIBS' clinical trials involving the T cell
vaccine.
    "We are very excited by this research and we believe that this
therapeutic T cell vaccination approach holds great promise for
patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis," said David McWilliams,
chief executive officer of PharmaFrontiers. "This rheumatoid arthritis
T cell vaccination program is a good fit with our overall autoimmune T
cell therapeutics program in which we are already conducting Phase
I/II trials for our T cell vaccine, Tovaxin(TM), to treat Multiple
Sclerosis. Our expertise and knowledge of the science of T cells in
autoimmune diseases makes us highly qualified to judge this data from
the SIBS and to determine a future development pathway."
    The license agreement permits the SIBS' scientists to publish
their research results to date after PharmaFrontiers has filed a
patent application covering the rheumatoid arthritis T cell vaccine
with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    "We are pleased to have completed this licensing agreement with
PharmaFrontiers, a commercialization-driven company with the
capability to develop a safe and effective T-cell vaccine for
rheumatoid arthritis," said Dr. Guotong Xu, Deputy Director of the
Office of Technology Transfer of SIBS. "This agreement will allow us
to participate in the clinical development and commercialization of
licensed product in China."
    "We believe that the manufacturing and clinical information
obtained through this license will allow us to develop and submit an
Investigational New Drug application in the near future," said Jim C.
Williams, Ph.D., chief operating officer of PharmaFrontiers.

    About Rheumatoid Arthritis

    According to the Arthritis Foundation, rheumatoid arthritis is an
autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part
of the body's immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of
the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women. The CDC
reports that arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are the leading
cause of disability in the U.S.

    About PharmaFrontiers Corp.

    PharmaFrontiers' strategy is to develop and commercialize cell
therapies to treat several major disease areas such as cardiac and
pancreatic conditions and Multiple Sclerosis. PharmaFrontiers owns
patented and proprietary individualized cell therapies that are in FDA
Phase I/II human dose ranging clinical trials to evaluate their safety
and effectiveness in treating MS. The company also holds the exclusive
worldwide license from the University of Chicago, through its prime
contractor relationship with Argonne National Laboratory, for patents
relating to the use of adult pluripotent stem cells derived from
patients' own circulating blood.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains "forward-looking statements,"
including statements about PharmaFrontiers' growth and future
operating results, discovery and development of products, strategic
alliances and intellectual property, as well as other matters that are
not historical facts or information. These forward-looking statements
are based on management's current assumptions and expectations and
involve risks, uncertainties and other important factors, specifically
including those relating to PharmaFrontiers' ability to obtain
additional funding, develop its stem cell technologies, achieve its
operational objectives, and obtain patent protection for its
discoveries, that may cause PharmaFrontiers' actual results to be
materially different from any future results expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. PharmaFrontiers undertakes no
obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


    CONTACT: PharmaFrontiers Corp., The Woodlands
             C. William Rouse 281-775-0608
             brouse@pharmafrontierscorp.com
             or
             Investor Relations Contacts:
             Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
             Kim Sutton Golodetz, 212-838-3777
             kgolodetz@lhai.com
             or
             Bruce Voss, 310-691-7100
             bvoss@lhai.com
             or
             Media Relations Contact:
             Lippert/Heilshorn & Associates
             Kim Sutton Golodetz, 212-838-3777
             kgolodetz@lhai.com