Synthetic Biologics Announces Two Poster Presentations of Novel Monoclonal Antibody Combination for Treatment of Whooping Cough (Pertussis) at ECCMID 2015

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN), a developer of pathogen-specific therapies for serious infections and diseases, with a focus on protecting the microbiome, today announced that preclinical results supporting the development of SYN-005 for the treatment of Pertussis will be highlighted at ECCMID 2015 (European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases), April 25-28, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Two posters will be presented under the Respiratory Infections category all four days at ECCMID on 50 ePoster stations, as follows:

Title: Antibody Cocktail Effectively Treats Pertussis in a Baboon Disease Model
Authors: J. A. Maynard¹, A. Nguyen¹, E. Wagner¹, J. Laber¹, L. Goodfield², W. Smallridge², E. T. Harvill², R. F. Wolf³, J. C. Papin³, S. Connelly⁴, J. A. Bristol⁴, M. Kaleko⁴

¹Universty of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, ²Penn State Univ., University Park, PA, ³Univ. of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, ⁴Synthetic Biologics, Rockville, MD

Title: Spontaneous Identification of Bordetella bronchiseptica in a Baboon Colony: Potential Ramifications for Bordetella pertussis Modeling
Authors: M. Kaleko¹, A. Nguyen², E. Wagner², R. F. Wolf³, J. C. Papin³, S.Connelly¹, J. A. Bristol¹, J. A. Maynard²

¹Synthetic Biologics, Rockville, MD, ²Universty of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, ³Univ. of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK

"We are pleased our Pertussis candidate, SYN-005, is gaining global acknowledgement and attention in the academic space, as we build our preclinical portfolio to support this program," noted Jeffrey Riley, Chief Executive Officer of Synthetic Biologics. "We are currently pursuing non-dilutive funding to support the clinical development of this novel therapeutic designed to target and neutralize pertussis toxin for the treatment of whooping cough."

Synthetic Biologics is developing SYN-005 through its Exclusive Channel Collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON) and academic researchers at The University of Texas at Austin to target and neutralize the pertussis toxin in order to reduce morbidity and mortality in infected infants. Pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) with symptoms that may include chronic coughing and subsequent breathing difficulties. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 50 million worldwide cases of whooping cough each year, leading to an estimated 300,000 deaths, primarily among young, unvaccinated infants. In September 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation to the Company's proprietary SYN-005 monoclonal antibody (mAb) combination for the treatment of Pertussis.

About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing pathogen-specific therapies for serious infections and diseases, with a focus on protecting the microbiome. The Company is developing an oral biologic to protect the gut microbiome from  intravenous (IV) antibiotics for the prevention of C. difficile infection, an oral statin treatment to reduce the impact of methane producing organisms on constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (C-IBS), and in collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), a monoclonal antibody combination for the treatment of Pertussis. In addition, the Company is developing a Phase 2 oral estriol drug for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and cognitive dysfunction in MS. For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics' website at www.syntheticbiologics.com.

This release includes forward-looking statements on Synthetic Biologics' current expectations and projections about future events. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and include statements regarding the potential market size for Pertussis, and the designed treatment of SYN-005. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Synthetic Biologics' forward-looking statements include, among others, the ability to access non-dilutive funding to support the development of SYN-005 and the ability of SYN-005 to perform as expected and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics' report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and any other filings with the SEC. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Synthetic Biologics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

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