Synthetic Biologics Appoints Deb Mathews, PharmD, as Vice President, Medical Affairs

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN), a clinical stage company focused on developing therapeutics to protect the gut microbiome, announced Deb Mathews, PharmD, has joined the Company in the new position of Vice President, Medical Affairs. Dr. Mathews will be responsible for all medical affairs-related activities, with a focus on supporting late-stage clinical development for the Company's two lead GI microbiome-focused drug candidates: SYN-010, designed to reduce methane production in the gut to treat an underlying cause of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C), and SYN-004, designed to prevent C. difficile infection (CDI), antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) and the emergence of antibiotic resistant organisms.

Dr. Mathews is a pharmaceutical and biotechnology executive with over 20 years of clinical and medical affairs experience with specialized therapeutic focus in both infectious disease and oncology. Most recently she served as Executive Medical Science Lead at Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to this, Dr. Mathews served in various strategic medical affairs leadership roles at Novartis, AstraZeneca, Tibotec Therapeutics and GlaxoSmithKline, Inc.

"Deb brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to this newly created strategic position," said Jeffrey Riley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Synthetic Biologics. "I am confident that her broad experience and strong leadership will help maximize the clinical potential of our GI microbiome-focused product candidates as we begin to implement commercialization strategies."

Dr. Mathews received a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from Florida A&M University. Her credentials also include HIV specialist certification from the American Academy of HIV Medicine and membership with the American Society of Microbiology.

About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE MKT: SYN) is a clinical stage company developing therapeutics to protect the gut microbiome while targeting pathogen-specific diseases. The Company's lead candidates in Phase 2 development are: (1) SYN-010 which is intended to reduce the impact of methane producing organisms in the gut microbiome to treat an underlying cause of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and (2) SYN-004 which is designed to protect the gut microbiome from the effects of certain commonly used intravenous (IV) antibiotics for the prevention of C. difficile infection and antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD). In collaboration with Intrexon Corporation, the Company is also developing preclinical stage monoclonal antibody therapies for the prevention and treatment of pertussis and novel discovery stage biotherapeutics for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics' website at www.syntheticbiologics.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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, and include statements regarding the expected contribution of Dr. Mathews and the potential benefits of SYN-010 and SYN-004. These forward-looking statements are based management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, our ability to successfully integrate the new management, a failure to receive the necessary regulatory approvals for commercialization of Synthetic Biologics' therapeutics, a failure of Synthetic Biologics' clinical trials, and those conducted by investigators, for SYN-004 and SYN-010 to be commenced or completed on time or to achieve desired results and benefits, a failure of Synthetic Biologics' clinical trials to continue enrollment as expected or receive anticipated funding, a failure of Synthetic Biologics to successfully develop, market or sell its products, Synthetic Biologics' inability to maintain its material licensing agreements, or a failure by Synthetic Biologics or its strategic partners to successfully commercialize products and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics' most recent Form 10-K, that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 10, 2016, and its other filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. 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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