iBio CDMO President to Co-Chair South African Molecular Pharming Conference

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2017 -- iBio, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: IBIO), a leading provider of plant-based biotechnology for developing and manufacturing biological products, announced that Dr. Barry Holtz, President of iBio’s development and manufacturing subsidiary, and Professor Ed Rybicki, Molecular & Cell Biology Department of the University of Cape Town and Director of its Biopharming Research Unit, will co-chair the Molecular Farming Workshop to be held November 3^rd and 4^th in Franschhoek, in the Western Cape region of South Africa.

The conference will bring together leaders of public and private entities driving advancement of healthcare and biologics production in South Africa to assess and agree on product priorities and to plan autonomous manufacturing capabilities in South Africa based on the economic and public health advantages of using plant-made pharmaceutical technologies and facilities.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Dr. Gerald Parker, Associate Dean for Global One Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A & M University.  Dr. Parker recently chaired the 3^rd Annual Global Pandemic Summit, is a world expert on global infectious disease, and previously served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense.  Additional participating South African leaders will include speakers from the South African Department of Science and Technology, the Technology Innovation Agency, the Industrial Development Corporation, AzarGen Biotechnologies, BioVac Institute, Onderstepoort Biologicals, ENSafrica, and Cape Venture Partners.

In addition to his role as Co-Chair, Dr. Holtz will describe iBio’s empowerment package for a public-private partnership in South Africa that includes iBio’s proprietary expression system, early-stage product and process development, and design-build expertise for a facility in South Africa that mimics the iBio CDMO large-scale biopharmaceutical facility in Bryan, Texas.

Dr Holtz stated, “Providing manufacturing empowerment to South Africa is a logical extension of our business model, our ongoing relationship with South African companies and universities, and our experience in Brazil.”

Prof. Rybicki, in addition to his role as Co-Chair, will describe the work of the University of Cape Town’s Biopharming Research Unit in developing a pipeline of biotherapeutic and vaccine products using a transient plant expression system. These include vaccine candidates for human papillomaviruses, Rift Valley fever and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever viruses, as well as animal vaccines such as for bluetongue virus and African horse sickness virus.

Professor Rybicki commented, “The BRU has developed a pipeline of reagent drug candidates using the plant-made platform that are relevant to the African continent and potential export markets.  In order to more fully develop these, it is necessary to bring experienced biotherapeutics manufacturing to South Africa, and we look forward to partnering with iBio.”

About iBio, Inc.

iBio, a leader in developing plant-based biopharmaceuticals, provides a range of product and process development, analytical, and manufacturing services at the large-scale development and manufacturing facility of its subsidiary iBio CDMO, LLC. in Bryan, Texas.  The facility houses laboratory and pilot-scale operations, as well as large-scale automated hydroponic systems capable of growing over four million plants as "in process inventory" and delivering over 300 kilograms of therapeutic protein pharmaceutical active ingredient per year. iBio applies its technology for the benefit of its clients and the advancement of its own product interests. The Company’s pipeline is comprised of proprietary candidates for the treatment of a range of fibrotic diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, and scleroderma. IBIO-CFB03, based on the Company's proprietary gene expression technology, is the Company’s lead therapeutic candidate being advanced for IND development.

Further information is available at:  www.ibioinc.com

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