New Chinese iBioModulator(TM) Patent Joins iBio Vaccine Portfolio

iBio, Inc. (NYSE MKT:

), a leader in plant-based biotechnology for developing and manufacturing biological products, today announced a notice of allowance for a Chinese patent application in the company's iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein portfolio, a group of patents important to the company's vaccine technology portfolio. The allowed application, serial number 201210394281.4, is entitled "Recombinant Carrier Molecule for Expression, Delivery, and Purification of Target Polypeptides." The composition of matter and methods claims will 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. These proprietary carriers provide commercially significant new capabilities to create high-performance vaccine candidates for difficult disease targets. The iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein platform has been shown to significantly improve the immune response to a vaccine in two important ways. It increases the strength of the initial immune response to a vaccine antigen (as measured by antibody titer). It also extends the duration of the immune response, thus lowering vaccine antigen requirements or enabling fewer doses to establish prolonged immunity. Generating a stronger immune response and longer-term protection without booster inoculations adds significant value to a vaccine by reducing the overall costs and logistical difficulties of its use. These improvements may also enable a government or commercial producer to effectively reach a higher proportion of the target population. The iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein platform, including the technology covered by this newly allowed patent application, is applicable to biopharmaceutical products developed with iBio's proprietary iBioLaunch™ plant-based gene expression system and can also be used with other protein expression systems. iBio offers the benefits of the iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein platform through licenses and also offers technology transfer arrangements for clients interested in fully autonomous manufacturing capabilities. The new patent will join iBio's other patent in this family in China (CN1833030), as well as patents in the US (8,173,408, 8,591,909, 9,012,199), Australia, Canada, India, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom. Patents covering the iBioModulator™ thermostable immunomodulator protein platform are directly related to that part of iBio's larger portfolio of intellectual property relevant to the development and manufacture of vaccines for a range of infectious diseases including influenza, plague, anthrax, and human papilloma virus. This immunomodulator portfolio includes vaccine product patents in the US (8,124,103, 8,277,816, 8,404,252, 8,945,580) and internationally.