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 February 21, 2008 - 2008 Governor Minner Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner Where: Caffe Gelato - Newark, DE
 2008 Governor Minner Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner Flyer
The fund was started by Fraunhofer Center for Molecular Biotechnology in 2006 to provide support for local students pursuing careers in biotechnology at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Delaware Technical and Community College. This spring, the fund will make awards to the third group of students. While Fraunhofer CMB started the scholarship fund, several other local companies including Astra Zeneca, Quest Pharmaceuticals, InB Biotechnologies and Strategic Diagnostics have also been major contributors. All of these companies and many more like them have a growing need for qualified researchers and scientists. The scholarship fund helps encourage local students to consider careers in the growing area of biotechnology, thus enabling local companies to hire local talent. The fund is held and administered by the Delaware Community Foundation. January 11, 2008 - Facility seeks new anthrax vaccine If a large-scale anthrax attack strikes a big U.S. city a decade from now, citizens could be protected because of the work of a local nonprofit to develop a plant-based vaccine. The Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology is the only facility in the United States using plants that have not been genetically modified to make vaccines to protect people from agents such as anthrax or the plague. The scientific nonprofit, in Newark's Delaware Technology Park, is trying to develop the first plant-based vaccine, which would have the advantage of a production time of six to seven weeks. Current vaccine production require six or more months. "The stockpiling capacity will be much more flexible and we will be able to make enough of this vaccine for emergency situations," said Vidadi Yusibov, executive director of the Fraunhofer center. Sen. Tom Carper and Rep. Mike Castle toured the facility Thursday morning to see how the vaccine is processed. Both have helped bring in millions of federal research dollars to help pay for the research. The nonprofit recently received $4 million from the Department of Defense to pursue clinical trials of the vaccines in humans once they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Fraunhofer also has received about $20 million in other federal and private grants to help fund research and development, Yusibov said. Fraunhofer researchers are already working on vaccines for a host of other diseases, including malaria and cancer. Fraunhofer USA is a subsidiary of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, a giant scientific private foundation based in Munich, Germany. Castle said the research can lead to protection for U.S. soldiers. "Hopefully, it will allow these vaccines to be produced faster in the event of a bioterrorism attack," he said. "Vaccinations will help our men and women in the military serving in harm's way." Inside a climate-controlled greenhouse at the facility, tobacco plants are grown to maturity in five weeks. "Tobacco plants are very good at generating a lot of leaf tissue and they grow fast," Yusibov said. "It's also the best host for the vector that produces the vaccine." The plants are then placed inside a vacuum chamber where a bacterium is infused into the plants. From there, the plants are placed in another climate-controlled greenhouse to grow for a week. Using the DNA from the bacteria, the plants make the proteins that comprise the vaccine. They are then harvested and the proteins are purified. The environment is safe for researchers. "We have nothing here that can be hazardous to humans," Yusibov said. "We're not using any anthrax bacteria or influenza viruses. What we're using is completely harmless to humans as a process." Fraunhofer has been working on the vaccine for almost four years. The local operation has grown to 60 employees from two in July 2001. Yusibov said that if the vaccines for anthrax and the plague are successful, there's a good chance that a similar method will be used to produce a vaccine to fight bird flu and other infectious diseases. The current method, using eggs, takes about six months. But before the vaccine is ready for public use, it must first go through three phases of clinical trials. Many vaccines that protected primates in studies did not show the same success in humans. The plant-based vaccine was shown to protect primates exposed to anthrax. "It's not guaranteed that everything that will work in animals will work in humans," Yusibov said. He expects that it will take about five years before the vaccine is ready for the public. Article Text: By HIRAN RATNAYAKE, The News Journal September 19, 2007 - Vaccine researchers convene in Del. Amid increased interest in vaccines from big pharmaceutical companies, about 140 researchers from around the world are meeting this week at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington to share techniques for developing new vaccines for diseases ranging from flu to potentially fatal cancers. The growing interest has fueled attendance at the conference, which started Monday and concludes today. Participation has doubled since the first conference in 2005, which was attended by about 70 people. The event features speakers who will discuss the latest developments in vaccines made from plants, insects or animal cells. This is the event's third year, and the second time it has been held in Wilmington. The increased attendance, and a list of speakers that includes representatives from pharmaceutical giants Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, reflects drug companies' renewed interest in vaccine development. "It shows the importance of the issue not only to us, but to the entire industry," said Vidadi Yusibov, executive director of the Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology in Newark, which is one of the conference's organizers and sponsors. Vaccines are attracting lots of interest from the big drug companies, including AstraZeneca, which earlier this year paid $15.6 billion to acquire MedImmune Inc., the Gaithersburg, Md.-based biotechnology company whose products include the FluMist nasal spray flu vaccine. Vaccines, which used to be thought of as "low-cost, high-volume" medicines from which companies couldn't make much money, are becoming a "hot area" for drug companies, said Dr. Thomas Monath, a partner at the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. These days, vaccines are considered "high-volume and high-priced," said Monath, the conference's chairman. For example, Merck & Co.'s Gardasil vaccine for preventing human papilloma virus -- one of the viruses that cause cervical cancer -- costs $360, plus administration fees, for a three-shot regimen. Because vaccines are becoming increasingly profitable, drug companies are working on a host of new ones to treat diseases such as HIV and cancer. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding research into vaccine development, including research at Fraunhofer into vaccines for sleeping sickness, malaria and influenza. The Seattle-based foundation, started by the Microsoft founder and his wife, is funding projects that will bring vaccines to the developing world, where conditions such as cervical cancer, which have been largely brought under control through better diagnosis and treatment, remain major killers. Vaccines are "one of the most cost-effective public health tools available," said Douglas Holtzman, senior program officer in the global health program at the Gates Foundation, and an attendee at the conference. Developing new vaccines won't mean much if they aren't affordable and available to people in the developing world, said Dr. David Fedson, a former director of medical affairs for vaccine maker Aventis Pasteur. "How can we translate what has been a biological success and a commercial success into a global health success?" asked Fedson, a speaker at the conference. For millions of people in developing countries, affordable vaccines can mean the difference between life and death, Fedson said. "If we can't make enough doses for people in a short period of time, we have to look at other solutions." Article Text: By GARY HABER The News Journal May 30, 2007 - Fraunhofer USA CMB, $8.5M Contract from DARPA The Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology ("Fraunhofer USA CMB"), based in Newark, Delaware, was awarded a $2.6 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to further develop and validate a novel system for accelerated manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. The total value of the effort, if all phases of the development program are completed, could be $8.5 million. Under Phase I of the DARPA contract, Fraunhofer USA CMB will validate its unique plant-based technology platform for the rapid, cost-effective production of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. The Fraunhofer USA CMB platform can significantly reduce the time required from the identification of infectious agents to the manufacture of millions of doses of medical counter measures. Fraunhofer USA CMB's technology employs a proprietary vector system and non-genetically modified plants for time-efficient and cost- effective production of vaccines, antibodies and therapeutic proteins. Fraunhofer USA CMB has established an effective partnership with industry and academia to accomplish the goals of this project. The Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing Innovation will design process automation, Integrated BioPharma, Inc. will scale-up downstream protein purification, AMEC Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. will be responsible for process and facility engineering and Delaware State University will optimize non-transgenic seed production and storage. "This contract from DARPA will significantly accelerate our development of this much-needed technology that addresses some of the concerns affecting current biopharmaceutical manufacturing," said Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director of Fraunhofer USA CMB. "Our unique vectors combined with non- genetically modified plants, provide a rapid and highly scalable platform for cost-effective manufacturing." Fraunhofer was awarded this contract under DARPA's Accelerated Manufacture of Pharmaceutics Program; a multiphase initiative designed to direct novel biological systems to quickly produce life saving medical countermeasures for today's naturally occurring, intentionally released and pandemic biological threat agents. The goal of this program is to generate 3 million doses of vaccine or immune-therapeutic within 12 week of anoutbreak, and to do so at extremely low cost using highly resilient, rigorously controlled, GMP-quality production platforms. Fraunhofer USA CMB is a unique institution conducting research in the area of plant biotechnology and is developing cutting edge technologies for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases. CMB is located in Newark, Delaware and houses individuals with expertise and excellence in plant virology, pathology, molecular biology, immunology, vaccinology, protein engineering and biochemistry. Fraunhofer USA CMB is part of Fraunhofer USA, Inc., a non-profit research and development corporation, with headquarters in Michigan. It operates through technology centers that are partnered with major research universities in the United States and also with parent research institutes in Germany. December 7, 2006 - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant 
Plymouth, Michigan December 7, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology ("Fraunhofer CMB"), a not-for-profit research organization, received a $2.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a novel vaccine technology that could enable scalable, time efficient and cost-effective production of influenza vaccines. The technology, AIPwLV™ Platform, relies on a uniquely designed vector system and can be applied as a broad-based platform technology for producing life- saving vaccines in non-genetically modified plants. The $2.7 million grant will support Fraunhofer CMB's development of subunit vaccines against influenza using the AIPwLV™ Platform. Integrated BioPharma, Inc. (AMEX: INB), which holds the rights to the Fraunhofer CMB technology, has agreed to make the AIPwLV™ Platform available for the development and production of specific vaccines for developing countries on a not-for-profit basis. "The support we are receiving from the Gates Foundation and INB will significantly expedite our development of these much-needed vaccines," said Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director of CMB. "We expect the AIPwLV™ Platform, which uses simple, non-genetically-altered plants as a medium for the rapid production of target antigens, to address some of the concerns affecting current vaccine technologies. These concerns include scalability, cost, and time efficiency." "The technology developed by Fraunhofer CMB and INB over the last three years could help address a critical challenge in global health - expanding access to cost-effective vaccines in developing countries," said Douglas Holtzman, Senior Program Officer for Infectious Diseases at the Gates Foundation. InfluenzaType H5N1 avian influenza virus, the cause of recent epidemics in poultry in Asia is spreading throughout the globe, increasing the potential for outbreaks in human populations and concerns about an influenza pandemic. The major defense against influenza is vaccination. Global capacity for influenza vaccine production is insufficient to supply vaccine for the world's population, and this shortfall will be particularly felt in developing countries that lack vaccine-manufacturing infrastructure. Thus, there is a pressing need for alternative approaches that will address some of the limitations of the current vaccine technology, including speed of manufacturing. The ultimate goal of this project is to validate and implement a technology that could greatly increase the world's vaccine manufacturing capacity. About Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology (CMB). Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology was established in July 2001 as partnership between the Fraunhofer Society in Germany and the State of Delaware. CMB is part of Fraunhofer USA, Inc., a non-profit organization that has five research Centers in the United States. CMB is located at the Delaware Technology Park in Newark, Delaware and is a unique institution conducting research in the area of plant biotechnology, developing cutting edge technologies to assist the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases. The Center houses individuals with expertise and excellence in plant virology, pathology, molecular biology, immunology, vaccinology, protein engineering, and biochemistry. About Integrated BioPharma, Inc. (INB). Integrated BioPharma presently serves the varied needs of the health care industry through its Nutraceutical business, which creates, develops, manufactures and markets health products worldwide; its Biotechnology business, which uses its patented plant-based technology to produce vaccines and therapeutic antibodies; and its Pharmaceutical business, which operates contract research and cGMP manufacturing facilities. Further information is available at www.iBioPharma.com. Statements included in this release related to Integrated BioPharma, 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. Contact: Frances Roland-Lee at 734 354 4333 froland@fraunhofer.org, or Vidadi Yusibov at 302 369 3776 vyusibov@fraunhofer-cmb.org
December 7, 2006 - Integrated Biopharma / Fraunhofer CMB Flu Vaccine 
NEWS RELEASE for December 7, 2006 Contact: Dina Masi, CFO Jeffrey Leach, Investor Relations Integrated BioPharma, Inc. 888-319-6962 INTEGRATED BIOPHARMA AND FRAUNHOFER CMB ANNOUNCE FLU VACCINE PROJECTHILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY (December 7, 2006) - Integrated BioPharma, Inc. (AMEX:INB) and Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology ("FCMB") announced today the successful validation of their proprietary, plant- based technology platform for the production of human therapeutic proteins and their further agreement to now engineer and produce vaccines against influenza using the validated platform. The The AIPwLV™ platform was developed for INB by FCMB over the last three years. It uses simple, non-genetically modified plants as a medium for the rapid, economical production of vaccine antigens. Unlike vaccine technologies currently in use, the The AIPwLV™ platform enables practically limitless scalability of production of target antigens for vaccines against diseases such as influenza relatively quickly after identification of the active strain, thereby significantly increasing the availability of efficacious vaccines for large-scale inoculations. "We expect the The AIPwLV™ platform to significantly alleviate many of the problems affecting current vaccine technologies, particularly in the areas of safety, scalability, cost and time efficiency," said Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director of FCMB. "Now that the The AIPwLV™ technology platform has been validated, we have engaged FCMB to develop specific vaccine products using the The AIPwLV™ platform, the first of which is influenza vaccine," said E. Gerald Kay, Chairman of INB. "As we proceed with this product, we will be examining other product applications of the platform and possible licensing relationships for those who wish to use the The AIPwLV™ platform for the production of vaccines and therapeutic proteins against other diseases," Mr. Kay added. About Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology was established in July 2001 as a partnership between Fraunhofer Society in Germany and the State of Delaware. CMB is a nonprofit organization that is part of Fraunhofer USA, Inc., incorporated in Rhode Island, with the license to conduct business in the state of Delaware. Fraunhofer USA, Inc. is headquartered in Plymouth, MI and has five Centers in the United States. CMB is located at the Delaware Technology Park in Newark, Delaware, and is a unique institution conducting research in the area of plant biotechnology, utilizing newly developed/developing cutting edge technologies to assist the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human and animal diseases. About Integrated BioPharma, Inc. (INB) Integrated BioPharma, Inc. presently serves the varied needs of the health care industry through its Nutraceutical business, which creates, develops, manufactures and markets health products worldwide; its Biotechnology business, which uses its patented plant-based technology to produce vaccines and therapeutic antibodies; and its Pharmaceutical business, which operates contract research and cGMP manufacturing facilities. Further information is available at www.iBioPharma.com. Statements included in this release related to Integrated BioPharma, 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, and internal issues in the sponsoring client. 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. September 1, 2006 - CMB Sponsors New Cells for New Vaccines Workshop The International Association for Biologicals (IABs) will be holding a two-day workshop which will consist of presentations from international leaders in the field, oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts, poster displays and trade exhibits. Fraunhofer USA CMB will be sponsoring and participating in the meeting. Fraunhofer speakers include Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director and Dr. Gene Palmer, Scientist. The topics in the workshop will include: Click here to view the pdf which includes a description of the meeting, a call for abstracts, a meeting schedule and registration information. May 18, 2006 - CMB Exec.Dir. contributes to "Cutting Edge" Panel Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director of Fraunhofer USA CMB was among the participants in a "Cutting Edge" panel focusing on how innovation drives the economy. David S. Weir, director of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute at the University of Delaware and Michael K. Handley founder of AccelaPure Corp. also spoke at the conference. Topics included finding direction for new research and encouraging companies to work with each other, the community, academia and government. Additionally, the conference addressed how Delaware can take advantage of the new opportunities in the growing biotechnology field.. To read a Delaware, News Journal article covering the conference click here.April 13, 2006 - Exec. Dir. of Fraunhofer USA CMB Acknowledged The featured article in the Life section of the newspaper "News of Delaware County" recognizes the director of Fraunhofer USA CMB, Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, for his expertise in the field of molecular biology. The article includes information on particular bio-defense vaccines Fraunhofer USA CMB is working on and contains some perspective into Dr. Yusibov's life. Also quoted in the article is Dr. Shailaja Rabindran, a Senior Scientist at Fraunhofer USA CMB. To read the complete article click here.March 24, 2006 - GMBSF Award Recipients recognized at luncheon
The recipients included Dusti Vanderwende of the University of Delaware, Stephanie Callahan of the Delaware Technical & Community College and Samantha Snow of Delaware State University. These students were chosen based on academic excellence and an expressed interest in Biotechnology. They represent the best at their respective schools. Mark Brainard, Chief of Staff to Gov. Ruth Ann Minner awarded the
Fraunhofer CMB would like to thank AstraZeneca, Integrated BioPharma (INB) and AccelaPure for their generous contributions to the fund.
WHYY will feature the award ceremony on Delaware Tonight this evening (3/24). To see the clip click here (RealPlayer required). The Fraunhofer item is approximately 24 minutes into the program. March 1, 2006 - Retired four-star General joins Fraunhofer board Retired four-star General James T. Hill has been named a board member of Fraunhofer USA. General Hill's experience will allow him make suggestions to Fraunhofer regarding government use of plant-based anthrax vaccines. Additionally, General Hill's knowledge of government projects will be a great help to Fraunhofer acquiring grants and other funding. Dr Vidadi Yusibov, the Executive Director of Fraunhofer USA CMB is quoted in a News Journal article saying, "This is a person who can really help us improve our planning and strategic development". Click here to read the News Journal article run on 3/1/2006. February 28, 2006 - Gov. Minner Biotechnology Scholarship Fund online To apply for the Governor Minner Scholarship Fund please go to http://www.delcf.org/ and scroll to, "DCF announces Governor Minner Biotech Scholarship Fund." Applications must be post marked by March 15, 2006. February 21, 2006 - UD Review article, Fraunhofer CMB anthrax research The University of Delaware's online newspaper, the UD Review recently ran an article regarding Fraunhofer CMB's contributions to anthrax vaccine research. The article briefly discusses the current need for and potential benefits of plant based anthrax vaccines. To read the article click here. December 10, 2005 - Fraunhofer CMB highlighted in News Journal article In a News Journal article focusing on the "growing biotechnology niche", Fraunhofer CMB is noted as a strength in Delaware's emerging biotechnology industry. November 18, 2005 - Spotlight on FraunhoferCMB director Vidadi Yusibov In the December 2005 issue of Esquire magazine the executive director of Fraunhofer CMB, Vidadi Yusibov is recognized as one of the "10 Best and Brightest minds in science nationwide". The article goes on to describe Dr. Yusibov's views and some of the projects Fraunhofer CMB is currently involved in. To purchase a copy of the article from Esquire click here. Also, a related Wilmington, DE News Journal article mentions the Esquire magazine recognition and continues further to describe his childhood on the farm, past and present research and current view of vaccine development in plants. To read the News Journal Article click here. |
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At a luncheon held at Fraunhofer USA's Center for Molecular Biotechnology
scholarships. Speakers at the meeting included Dr William Hartman, Vice President of Fraunhofer USA; Dr Dirk Polter of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft; David Jackson, Chairman of the Governor Minner Biotechnology Scholarship Fund Advisory Committee; Fred Sears, President of the Delaware Community Foundation and Dr. Vidadi Yusibov, Executive Director of Fraunhofer CMB. Dr. Yusibov was quoted as saying, 
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