As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2004

Registration No. 333-          

2110 Rutherford Road
Carlsbad, California 92008
(760) 494-4200
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

David F. Hale
President and Chief Executive Officer
CancerVax Corporation
2110 Rutherford Road
Carlsbad, California 92008
(760) 494-4200
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. [ ]

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

CancerVax hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until CancerVax shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

(Subject to completion, dated November 8, 2004)

PROSPECTUS

$80,000,000

CANCERVAX CORPORATION

Common Stock

     We may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock in amounts, at prices and on the terms that we will determine at the time of offering, with an aggregate initial offering price of up to $80,000,000.

     You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.

     Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, both of which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

     Our common stock is quoted and traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol “CNVX.”

     Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

     When we offer shares of our common stock, we will provide specific terms of the offering in supplements to this prospectus. The securities offered by this prospectus or any prospectus supplement may be offered directly to investors or to or through underwriters, dealers or other agents. If any underwriters or dealers are involved in the sale of any securities offered by this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The date of this prospectus is                      , 2004

     You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front cover of this prospectus only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have subsequently changed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     Whenever we refer to “CancerVax,” “we,” “our” or “us” in this prospectus, we mean CancerVax Corporation and its subsidiaries, unless the context suggests otherwise.

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell common stock in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $80,000,000. Each time we offer to sell common stock under this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in a prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading, “Where You Can Find More Information.”

RISK FACTORS

     Investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, both of which have been filed with the SEC and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, as well as other information in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement before purchasing any of our securities. Each of the risks described in these sections could adversely affect our business, operating results and financial condition, as well as adversely affect the value of an investment in our securities.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and file annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports, proxy statements and other information we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. You may also access filed documents at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

     We are incorporating by reference some information about us that we file with the SEC. We are disclosing important information to you by referencing those filed documents. Any information that we reference this way is considered part of this prospectus. The information in this prospectus supersedes information incorporated by reference that we have filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus, while information that we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that is incorporated by reference will automatically update and supersede this information.

     We incorporate by reference the following documents we have filed, or may file, with the SEC:

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     You may request a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

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CANCERVAX

     We are a biotechnology company focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel biological products for the treatment and control of cancer. Our lead product candidate, Canvaxin, is one of a new class of products being developed in the area of specific active immunotherapy, also known as therapeutic cancer vaccines. Canvaxin is currently being studied in two international Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of patients with Stage III or Stage IV, or advanced-stage, melanoma. Canvaxin is based on our proprietary specific active immunotherapy development platform that uses human tumor cell lines that express a broad array of tumor related antigens. In September 2004, we completed our planned enrollment of 1,118 patients in our Phase 3 clinical trial in Stage III melanoma. As of October 31, 2004, 440 patients had been enrolled in our Phase 3 clinical trial in Stage IV melanoma. Approximately seventy of the eighty clinical trial sites that have participated in our Phase 3 clinical trials are continuing to enroll patients in our clinical trial in Stage IV melanoma.

     In addition to Canvaxin, we have licensed three specific active immunotherapeutic product candidates targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, signaling pathway, including one product candidate that has been evaluated in Phase 2 clinical trials in non-small-cell lung cancer. We plan to initiate our own Phase 2 clinical trial with SAI-EGF, the most advanced of these three new product candidates, in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in 2005, and to continue pre-clinical development of the other two product candidates. We also plan to identify and develop new product candidates based on our proprietary specific active immunotherapy technology, our anti-angiogenic antibodies and peptides, and our T-oligonucleotide, or telomere homolog oligonucleotide, technology that may inhibit the growth and development of cancer cells.

     Our headquarters are located at 2110 Rutherford Road, Carlsbad, California 92008. Our telephone number is (760) 494-4200. Our website address is www.cancervax.com. Information contained on our website is not incorporated into, and does not constitute any part of, this prospectus.

     We have registered the CancerVax® trademark and also use Canvaxin™ and our logo as trademarks in the United States and other countries.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     Any statements in this prospectus, including the documents that we incorporate by reference herein, about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words or phrases such as “believe,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “expect,” “should,” or “would.” Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties inherent in our business including, without limitation, statements about the progress and timing of our clinical trials; difficulties or delays in development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing our products; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of our products that could delay or prevent product development or commercialization, or that could result in recalls or product liability claims; the scope and validity of patent protection for our products; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; our ability to obtain additional financing to support our operations; and other material risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as any amendments thereto reflected in subsequent filings with the SEC.

     Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance or achievement. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result

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of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law. Before deciding to purchase our common stock, you should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated herein by reference, in addition to the other information set forth in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference.

USE OF PROCEEDS

     Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of our common stock under this prospectus to continue the development of our specific active immunotherapeutic product candidate, Canvaxin, to initiate clinical trials of SAI-EGF, our lead specific active immunotherapeutic product candidate that targets the EGFR signaling pathway, to further the preclinical development of our other product candidates, including our anti-angiogenic antibodies and peptides, and product candidates based on our T-olignucleotide technology, and to fund other working capital and general corporate purposes. We will set forth in the particular prospectus supplement our intended use for the net proceeds we receive from the sale of our common stock. Pending the application of the net proceeds, we expect to invest the proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing instruments or other investment-grade securities.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

     We may sell the securities from time to time to investors directly or through agents or pursuant to underwritten public offerings, negotiated transactions, block trades or a combination of these methods. We may sell the securities (1) through underwriters or dealers, (2) through agents and/or (3) directly to one or more purchasers in those jurisdictions which we are authorized to do so.

     We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:

     We may solicit directly offers to purchase the securities being offered by this prospectus. We may also designate agents to solicit offers to purchase the securities from time to time. We will name in a prospectus supplement any agent involved in the offer or sale of our securities.

     We may also, from time to time, authorize dealers, acting as our agents, to offer and sell securities upon the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

     If we utilize an underwriter in the sale of the securities being offered by this prospectus, we will execute an underwriting agreement with the underwriter at the time of sale and we will provide the name of any underwriter in the prospectus supplement that the underwriter will use to make resales of the securities to the public. In connection with the sale of the securities, we, or the purchasers of securities for whom the underwriter may act as agent, may compensate the underwriter in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions. The underwriter may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the underwriter may compensate those dealers in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.

     We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement any compensation we pay to underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering of the securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the

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meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. The maximum compensation that we will pay to any member of the National Association of Securities Dealers in connection with any underwritten public offering will not exceed 8% of the gross proceeds of the offering. We may enter into agreements to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments they may be required to make in respect thereof.

     The securities may or may not be listed on a national securities exchange. To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

     The underwriters, dealers or agents and their associates may engage in transactions with us, or perform services for us, in the ordinary course of business for which they receive compensation.

     To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution.

LEGAL MATTERS

     The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California. As of the date of this prospectus, attorneys of Latham & Watkins LLP own in the aggregate less than one percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock.

EXPERTS

     Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, have audited our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

     Our estimated expenses in connection with the distribution of the securities being registered are as set forth in the following table:

*Estimated

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

     As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, we have adopted provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as a director. The duty of care generally requires that, when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

     These limitations of liability do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunctive relief or rescission. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also authorizes us to indemnify our officers, directors and other agents to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law.

     As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated bylaws provide that:

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     Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide for the indemnification provisions described above and elsewhere herein. In addition, we have entered into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers which may be broader than the specific indemnification provisions contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. These indemnification agreements may require us, among other things, to indemnify our officers and directors against liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, other than liabilities arising from willful misconduct. These indemnification agreements also may require us to advance any expenses incurred by the directors or officers as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified. In addition, we have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our directors and officers against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances. These indemnification provisions and the indemnification agreements may be sufficiently broad to permit indemnification of our officers and directors for liabilities, including reimbursement of expenses incurred, arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Item 16. Exhibits

     A list of exhibits filed with this registration statement on Form S-3 is set forth on the Exhibit Index and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 17. Undertakings

     (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

               (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

               (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

provided, however, that subparagraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

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          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

     (b) The undersigned registrant hereby further undertakes that, for the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to existing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

     (d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

          (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

          (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, CancerVax Corporation certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Carlsbad, State of California, on November 8, 2004.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below authorizes David F. Hale and William R. LaRue, and each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments (including post-effective amendments or supplements) to this registration statement or any registration statement relating to this registration statement under Rule 462 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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