iBio Announces Further Positive Results With iBioModulator™ Platform

NEWARK, Del., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- iBio, Inc. (NYSEAMEX: IBIO) today announced further positive results in ongoing tests demonstrating that its proprietary immunomodulator molecule, lichenase (LicKM), enhances the performance of vaccine antigens when produced as fusions to LicKM. iBio indicated it will offer commercial collaborations and product licenses to this novel immunomodulator under the trade name iBioModulator™

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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.

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

Among the data confirming the performance of iBioModulator technology are results on the immunogenicity of an iBioModulator-based transmission-blocking malaria vaccine candidate produced with the Company's iBioLaunch™ protein expression platform.  Data show that use of iBioModulator  results in vaccine antigens with greater ability to stimulate a specific antibody responses (Human Vaccines 7:1 Supplement, 1-2; January 2011). These studies showed that higher titers of immunoglobulin specific to the Plasmodium falciparum Pfs25 antigen were produced by lichenase-fused antigen when compared with unfused antigen.  The additional data, presented by iBio's research partner, the Fraunhofer Center for Molecular Biotechnology (FCMB) at the recent international scientific conference "New Cells, New Vaccines" indicated that the titers of specific immunoglubulins to Pfs25 were approximately10-fold higher across dose levels when the lichenase fusion antigen was used. 

Extended studies to evaluate the prolonged protective effect of lichenase-fused vaccine antigens for PFs25 and other malaria antigens are underway, and new data will be discussed as they become available.

In scientific papers published in 2007, 2009, and 2012, FCMB scientists characterized a vaccine directed against the E7 gene of human papilloma virus (which can lead to cancer), and demonstrated that E7-lichanse fusions produced superior protection from HPV-16 E7-induced tumors 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-lichenase antigen. 

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 unmodified green plants. Advantages over other systems include: success with proteins difficult or impossible to produce with other methods; broadly applicable to biologics, including monoclonal antibodies, other therapeutic proteins and vaccines; enables rapid development and validation of modular, scalable, and optionally robotic, multi-product manufacturing facilities; production time measured in weeks instead of months or more. Additional benefits include a practically unlimited surge capacity for remedial action against bioterrorism and pandemic disease; 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.

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.

SOURCE iBio, Inc.