iBio Continues Global Expansion of Intellectual Property

Download as PDF

NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 11/30/15 -- iBio, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IBIO), a leader in plant-based biotechnology for developing and manufacturing biological products, announced it has received notice from the European Patent Office that the opposition period for a patent granted to iBio has expired and no opposition has been filed.

"This patent strengthens protection of our innovative plant-made protein production technology," stated Robert Erwin, iBio's President. "In combination with our expanded use of Novici Biotech's patented GRAMMR® gene and protein enhancement technology, we are addressing opportunities to increase the expression yield of therapeutic proteins such as antibodies, improve their functional properties, and reduce production costs versus conventional approaches.

The patent, entitled "Systems and Methods for Clonal Expression in Plants" (European patent EP 1769068), includes claims to a system for generating transgenic hairy root cells containing a viral vector expressing a gene of interest. The system is used to generate a clonal root line, clonal root cell line, clonal plant cell line, or clonal plant having a self-replicating, episomal, extrachromosomal viral RNA vector that carries a polynucleotide of interest.

"The protein expression technologies covered by this patent have particular utility for companies interested in producing proteins in plant cell culture," said Wayne P. Fitzmaurice, Ph.D., iBio's Vice President of Intellectual Property. "Current strategies for expression of proteins in plants typically use whole plants grown in controlled environmental chambers or plant cell culture in a bioreactor. iBio has multiple proprietary systems enabling us and our clients to select the most efficient technology for a specific biopharmaceutical depending on its characteristics and commercial applications."

New Chinese Patent Granted to iBio

In addition iBio has received a notice of grant for a Chinese patent in the company's iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein portfolio, a group of patents important to the company's vaccine technology business. The patent, serial number CN103074316, is entitled "Recombinant Carrier Molecule for Expression, Delivery, and Purification of Target Polypeptides." The composition of matter and methods claims grant iBio important additional exclusivity over new, modified carrier molecules derived from the company's proprietary iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein system and their use with target proteins or antigens.

"Expanding our intellectual property portfolio in European countries and China is an important part of our overall strategy to create and optimize more efficient technologies to meet the growing demand for affordable, high quality biologic products," noted Robert Erwin, iBio's President.

About iBio, Inc.

iBio is developing proprietary products for the treatment of a range of fibrotic diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and scleroderma. IBIO-CFB03, produced using the company's iBioLaunch™ gene expression platform, is the first product candidate from this program being advanced for IND development.

The company also offers proprietary products and product licenses to others, based on its proprietary iBioLaunch gene expression and iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein platforms, providing collaborators full support for turn-key implementation of its technology for protein therapeutics and vaccines.

In Brazil, iBio has formed a subsidiary company, iBio do Brasil Biofarmaceutical Ltda., and has been collaborating with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) to develop a recombinant yellow fever vaccine based on iBio technology. 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.

Released November 30, 2015