NEWARK, Del., April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- iBio, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: IBIO) today announced issuance of a US patent covering compositions and methods for generating clonal cell lines and plants for expressing gene products. This invention, developed by the Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology, iBio’s research collaborator, is a part of iBio’s broader iBioLaunch platform for vaccines and therapeutics. The new patent is US Patent 8,148,608 entitled “Systems and methods for clonal expression in plants.”
The new patent claims whole plants, root lines or plant cell lines harboring a self-replicating, episomal viral RNA vector encoding a gene of interest, and an Ri T-DNA or portion thereof sufficient to generate hairy roots. The significance of this invention is that it enables broad flexibility to manipulate the natural metabolic capacity of plants and plant cells for optimal production of a commercial product target.
“We generally prefer the efficiency of using hydroponically-grown plants with our iBioLaunch platform, rather than cultured cells,” stated Terence Ryan, Ph.D., iBio’s Chief Scientific Officer. “However, given that clonal roots and cell cultures covered by this patent have successfully produced important biosimilar therapeutics such as recombinant human growth hormone and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, we are pleased to add this invention to the integrated capability we provide to our commercial collaborators.”
About iBio, Inc.
iBio develops and offers product applications of its iBioLaunch platform, providing collaborators full support for turn-key implementation of its technology for both proprietary and biosimilar products. The iBioLaunch platform is a proprietary, transformative technology for development and production of biologics using transient gene expression in green plants. The technology has been applied successfully to proteins difficult or impossible to produce with other methods, as well as proteins representative of most important classes of biologic pharmaceuticals. Advantages of the iBioLaunch platform over other systems include enablement of rapid development and validation of modular, scalable, and optionally robotic, multi-product manufacturing facilities; production time measured in weeks instead of months or more; product entry that is unconstrained by traditional process patents; and significantly lower capital and operating costs for comparable production. Further information is available at: www.ibioinc.com.
About Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology
Fraunhofer USA CMB, a division of Fraunhofer USA, Inc., is a not-for-profit research organization whose mission is to develop safe and effective vaccines targeting infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. The Center conducts research in the area of plant biotechnology, utilizing new, cutting edge technologies to assist with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases. The Center houses individuals with expertise and excellence in plant virology, pathology, molecular biology, immunology, vaccinology, protein engineering, and biochemistry. Further information is available at www.fraunhofer-cmb.org.
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.
Contacts:
Corporate: | Investor: |
Robert Erwin, President | Douglas Beck, CFO |
iBio, Inc. | iBio, Inc. |
302-355-2335 | 302-355-9452 |
SOURCE iBio, Inc.
