iBio, Inc. European Patent On iBioModulator Technology Emerges From Opposition Period

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NEWARK, DE--(Marketwired - June 05, 2014) - iBio, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IBIO), a leader in plant-based biotechnology for developing and manufacturing biological products, has surpassed the opposition period, expired on April 10, 2014, for a patent granted to the company by the European Patent Office. There is no indication that the patent has been opposed.

The patent (European patent EP 1664322) covers iBio's carrier molecule fusion protein technology (iBioModulator™) for therapeutic proteins and vaccines.

"This is an important extension of intellectual property protection for our commercial technology platform," said Robert B. Kay, iBio's chairman and CEO. "We are pursuing applications of this technology for both therapeutic and preventive vaccines. We expect the iBioModulator platform will significantly enhance interest in licenses for superior vaccine products."

An immunomodulator is a substance that alters the immune response. Animal studies have shown that the iBioModulator platform can increase the strength of the immune response specific to a vaccine antigen (as measured by antibody titer). Commercial applications of this proprietary platform include the development of more effective vaccines.

Among the positive tests completed to demonstrate the ability of the iBioModulator platform to improve the performance of vaccines are the following:

  • An iBioModulator-Pfs 25 antigen malaria vaccine candidate in advanced pre-IND testing elicited transmission blocking activity at lower doses and for a longer period of time following immunization compared to a vaccine candidate containing the antigen alone; titers of specific immunoglobulins to Pfs 25 were approximately ten-fold higher across dose levels when the iBioModulator was used.
  • Therapeutic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine candidates constructed with iBioModulator provided superior protection from HPV-16 E7-induced tumors and extended survival in a mouse model when compared with vaccination with native E7 protein alone. The HPV tumor protection was both prophylactic and therapeutic. It produced tumor-free survival of mice immunized with the E7 iBioModulator antigen. Effective therapeutic vaccination to treat HPV-induced cancer has been a long-desired but difficult to achieve objective of healthcare professionals. The iBioModulator platform offers a new and promising approach to addressing this important goal.
  • iBioModulator has been used as a fusion to express peptide or protein domain antigens in a number of other successful vaccine candidates, including those for anthrax, plague, sleeping sickness and influenza.
  • The iBioModulator also has been used by scientists at the Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology to improve the solubility and stability not only of recombinant vaccine antigens, but other proteins as well. Ongoing studies will include evaluation of the benefits of using the iBioModulator in the development and production of therapeutic product candidates.

"Europe is certainly among the most important markets for our technology and products," said Robert Erwin, iBio's president. "Expanding our intellectual property portfolio in European countries is an important part of our global strategy to deliver more efficient technology to meet the growing demand for affordable, high-quality biologic products."

The patent, entitled "RECOMBINANT CARRIER MOLECULE FOR EXPRESSION, DELIVERY AND PURIFICATION OF TARGET POLYPEPTIDES," is based on an invention developed by scientists at the company's research and technology collaborator, the Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, and is owned by iBio. This patent joins the company's fusion protein and iBioModulator allowed or issued patents in the U.S., Australia, Canada, China and India.

About iBio, Inc.
iBio develops and offers proprietary products and product licenses, based on its proprietary iBioLaunch™ and iBioModulator™ platforms, providing collaborators full support for turn-key implementation of its technology for protein therapeutics and vaccines. In Brazil, iBio has been collaborating with Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and Fraunhofer Center for Molecular Biotechnology since 2011 to develop a recombinant yellow fever vaccine based upon iBio technology.

The iBioLaunch platform is a proprietary, transformative technology for development and production of biologics using transient gene expression in unmodified green plants. The iBioModulator platform is complementary to the iBioLaunch platform and designed to significantly improve vaccine products with both higher potency and greater duration of effect. The iBioModulator platform can be used with any recombinant expression technology for vaccine development and production. Further information is available at: www.ibioinc.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE RELATED TO IBIO, INC. MAY CONSTITUTE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. SUCH STATEMENTS INVOLVE A NUMBER OF RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES SUCH AS COMPETITIVE FACTORS, TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, MARKET DEMAND, AND THE COMPANY'S ABILITY TO OBTAIN NEW CONTRACTS AND ACCURATELY ESTIMATE NET REVENUES DUE TO VARIABILITY IN SIZE, SCOPE AND DURATION OF PROJECTS. FURTHER INFORMATION ON POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS THAT COULD AFFECT THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL RESULTS CAN BE FOUND IN THE COMPANY'S REPORTS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.


Investor Relations Contact
Ron Both, Senior Managing Director
Liolios Group, Inc.
Tel 949-574-3860
Email Contact



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