Cryoport and Sanaria Expand Logistics Partnership Supporting Malaria Vaccines

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Feb 23, 2015, 08:30 ET

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Feb. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cryoport, Inc. (OTCBB: CYRX) ("Company"), the leading provider of advanced cryogenic logistics solutions for the life sciences industry, serving markets including immunotherapies, stem cells, cell lines, clinical research organizations, vaccine manufacturers and reproductive medicine, today announced that the Company is enhancing its cryogenic logistics support of its Sanaria partnership, which includes Sanaria's production of malaria vaccine as well as its research and development efforts.

Sanaria is a biotechnology company whose mission is to develop and commercialize live, whole parasite vaccines against malaria. The Sanaria team is currently focused on a vaccine to protect against malaria caused by the pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. This specific type of malaria is thought to be responsible for more childhood mortality than any other single infectious agent. Due to the nature of the disease, Sanaria's vaccine developments are focused on Africans, particularly children, who are considered the most at risk. The company's flagship product, Sanaria^® PfSPZ Vaccine was reported in 2013 to provide 100% protective efficacy in a clinical trial at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Sanaria also makes available to the research community a range of parasitological and entomological reagents and assay services.

Distribution of vaccines into the developing world continues to be a significant challenge to disease prevention efforts. Sanaria and Cryoport are actively working toward development of a robust distribution network through use of a liquid nitrogen vapor phase (LNVP) cold chain, which both believe is critical to the success of vaccine/ biologics distribution throughout the African subcontinent, and provides significant advantages over current biologics delivery systems

Dr. Stephen L. Hoffman, Sanaria's Chief Executive and Scientific Officer commented, "Our mission is to develop a vaccine that will combat a malaria parasite that is the most drug resistant and causes more than 98% of malaria related deaths worldwide. With Cryoport as our logistics partner, we can trust that their validated cold chain logistics solutions will provide a reliable and effective distribution strategy to bring to market an effective preventative vaccine for this deadly disease. We also rely on Cryoport for delivery of our family of products that are intended to advance and promote high quality research for new vaccines and drugs."

Jerrell Shelton, Cryoport's CEO, stated, "We are proud to be able to support Sanaria's groundbreaking work to eliminate malaria. The medical and social impact that Sanaria could potentially provide worldwide demands reliable cold chain logistics solutions that we are well equipped to provide. Our global reach is currently fully supportive of Sanaria's multi-center and multi-country clinical trials, and will be able to support delivery of the vaccine to the hundreds of millions of individuals who need it. Working with the Sanaria^® PfSPZ Vaccine that has already been proven to be highly effective, Sanaria is at the cusp of a phenomenal breakthrough for mankind."

About Cryoport, Inc.

Cryoport is the premier provider of cryogenic logistics solutions to the life sciences industry through its purpose-built proprietary packaging, information technology and specialized cold chain logistics expertise. We provide leading edge logistics solutions for biologic materials such as immunotherapies, stem cells, CAR-T cells, and reproductive cells for clients worldwide including points-of-care, CRO's, central laboratories, pharmaceutical companies, contract manufacturers, and university researchers. Our packaging is built around our proprietary Cryoport Express® liquid nitrogen dry vapor shippers, which are validated to maintain a constant below -150°C temperature for a 10 day dynamic shipment duration. Our information technology centers around our Cryoportal™ Logistics Management Platform, which facilitates management of the entire shipment process. Cryoport is the preferred cryogenic logistics solutions partner to the world's largest shipping companies controlling more than 85% of the world's air shipments. For more information, visit www.cryoport.com.

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Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Cryoport, Inc.'s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is important to note that the company's actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the effect of changing economic conditions, trends in the products markets, variations in the company's cash flow, market acceptance risks, and technical development risks. The company's business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in the company's SEC reports including, but not limited to, the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2013. The company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Cryoport, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

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SOURCE Cryoport, Inc.