.
                                                                               .
                                                                               .

                                                                    Exhibit 99.5
CONTACTS:


                                                                  
LORUS THERAPEUTICS INC.             CANADIAN MEDIA CONTACT:             US MEDIA CONTACT
Corporate Communications            Eliza Walsh                         Jennifer Taylor
Inc. Grace Tse                      Mansfield Communications Inc.       Mansfield Communications
Tel: (416) 798-1200 ext. 380        Tel: (416) 599-0024                 Tel: (212) 370-5045
Email: ir@lorusthera.com            Email: eliza@mcipr.com              Email: jennifer@mcipr.com


      LORUS THERAPEUTICS INC. TO PRESENT RESULTS OF VIRULIZIN(R) MECHANISM
             STUDIES AT THE ASCO GASTROINTESITINAL CANCERS SYMPOSIUM

   -Latest research into Virulizin(R) as an antitumor agent to be presented -

TSX:     LOR
OTC BB:  LORFF

TORONTO, CANADA, JANUARY 22, 2003 - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. ("Lorus") will be
attending the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal
Cancers Symposium to be held in San Francisco on January 22-24, 2004. An
abstract entitled, "Induction of NK cell and macrophage infiltration into tumors
may contribute to antitumor activity of Virulizin(R)," has been accepted for
presentation. The abstract will also be published in the meeting proceedings.
These studies were conducted as a collaboration between Lorus scientists and
researchers at the Calcium Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, McGill
University.

Virulizin(R) has demonstrated antitumor activity against a variety of tumors
including pancreatic cancer and melanoma. A significant role for an immune-based
mechanism of action has been described in this presentation and an earlier study
had shown that macrophages, cells involved in innate immunity, are involved in
Virulizin(R)-mediated antitumor activity. This presentation will summarize the
latest research with animal models into the antitumor mechanism of action of
Virulizin(R).

The present study extends the previous findings and identifies natural killer
(NK) cells as participants in Virulizin(R)'s mechanism of action. NK cells
constitute another major cellular component of the innate immune system and are
essential to early surveillance and removal of cancer cells.

                                     (more)


Virulizin(R) treatment of mice bearing human tumors resulted in increased
numbers of both macrophages and NK cells within the implanted tumors. Time
course experiments demonstrated that recruitment of these cells to tumors was
rapid after initiation of Virulizin(R) treatment, and correlated with early
signs of programmed cell death. In mice with NK cell-deficiency, the antitumor
activity of Virulizin(R) was greatly reduced. In addition, depletion of
macrophages from mice resulted in the loss of the Virulizin(R)-induced increase
in NK cells in tumors.

Taken together, these data support a mechanism in which Virulizin(R) induces a
rapid and sustained induction of the innate cellular immune system resulting in
antitumor activity based on the interplay between macrophages and NK cells.

"The research team at Lorus continues to build upon previous observations and
the data being presented are an indication of our deepened understanding of the
mechanism by which Virulizin(R) acts as an anticancer agent," said Dr. Jim
Wright, chief executive officer of Lorus.

About Lorus

Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of
cancer therapies. Lorus' goal is to capitalize on its research, pre-clinical,
clinical and regulatory expertise by developing new drug candidates that can be
used, either alone, or in combination, to successfully manage cancer. Through
its own discovery efforts and an acquisition and in-licensing program, Lorus is
building a portfolio of promising anticancer drugs. Late-stage clinical
developments and marketing may be done in cooperation with strategic
pharmaceutical partners. Founded in 1986, Lorus Therapeutics Inc. is a public
company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LOR, and on the
OTC BB exchange under the symbol LORFF.

Forward Looking Statements

Except for historical information, this press release contains forward-looking
statements, which reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to,
changing market conditions, the Company's ability to obtain patent protection
and protect its intellectual property rights, commercialization limitations
imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties,
intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against the
Company, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the
establishment of corporate alliances, the impact of competitive products and
pricing, new product development, uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process, product development delays, the Company's ability to attract
and retain business partners and key personnel, future levels of government
funding, the Company's ability to obtain the capital required for research,
operations and marketing and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the
Company's ongoing quarterly filings, annual information form, annual reports and
20-F filings. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.

Lorus Therapeutics Inc.'s press releases are available through the Company's
Internet site: http://www.lorusthera.com.

                                      -30-