iBio Expands Cardiometabolic and Obesity Program with Anti-Myostatin Antibody Discovered Using its Proprietary Platform, In-Licensed from AstralBio

iBio, Inc. (NYSEA: IBIO), an AI-driven innovator of precision antibody immunotherapies, has expanded its cardiometabolic and obesity treatment development program by in-licensing a potentially best-in-class long-acting anti-myostatin antibody from AstralBio, Inc. The antibody, now named IBIO-600, was identified by AstralBio using iBio’s proprietary technology stack and was designed for subcutaneous administration with the potential for an extended half-life. This strategic move positions iBio to address significant unmet medical needs in the cardiometabolic and obesity space, offering patients quality weight loss while preserving muscle mass and promoting muscle growth.

Pursuant to the agreement, AstralBio will receive an upfront payment of $750,000, which iBio has paid by issuing its common stock to AstralBio. In addition, AstralBio will be eligible for development and commercialization milestone payments totaling up to $28 million. If iBio sublicenses the licensed product, AstralBio will receive low to mid-single-digit sublicense fees on the proceeds of the sublicense fees. iBio is solely responsible for the research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities of the licensed product.

In parallel, iBio initiated a bispecific antibody program targeting myostatin/activin A to treat obesity and cardiometabolic disorders, leveraging its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform as well as the technology of IBIO-600. The myostatin licensing agreement and planned myostatin/activin A bispecific antibody program follow a drug discovery and development collaboration between iBio and AstralBio initiated less than a year ago. iBio plans to enter into clinical investigation in obesity and cardiometabolic disorders in 2026.

"The rapid advancement of a highly differentiated and developable anti-myostatin antibody in just seven months from inception to dosing in a non-human-primate study is a testament to the power and speed of our Drug Discovery Platform and our collaboration with AstralBio to deliver results quickly," said Martin Brenner, Ph.D., DVM, iBio’s CEO and Chief Scientific Officer. "Our goal is to develop therapeutics that offer patients quality weight loss by reducing obesity, preserving muscle mass, and promoting muscle growth while avoiding weight regain. Adding a novel myostatin/activin A bispecific antibody expands our pipeline of obesity drug candidates and has potential as a treatment for several additional cardiometabolic disorders."

In preclinical studies, IBIO-600 exhibits potent inhibition of myostatin in human muscle cell precursors, effectively blocking its inhibitory effects on muscle growth. Additionally, IBIO-600 has been engineered to bind to the FcRn receptor with more than 10-fold higher affinity than normal IgG, supporting the potential for reduced dosing frequency. The molecule has been advanced into non-cGMP in vivo studies in rodents and non-human primates (NHP) with the first data read-outs expected in early 2025. iBio plans to use the machine-learning and epitope-steering capabilities of the Stable HU antibody optimizer with advanced mammalian display, both components of its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform, to rapidly design and produce additional multispecific antibodies targeting, TGF-beta (TGFb) superfamily, including Myostatin and Activin A, in in vitro studies.



ABOUT iBio
iBio (NYSE: IBIO) is a cutting-edge biotech company leveraging AI and advanced computational biology to develop next-generation biopharmaceuticals for cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, cancer, and other hard-to-treat diseases. By combining proprietary 3D modeling with innovative drug discovery platforms, iBio is creating a pipeline of breakthrough antibody treatments to address significant unmet medical needs. Our mission is to transform drug discovery, accelerate development timelines, and unlock new possibilities in precision medicine. For more information, visit www.ibioinc.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and include statements regarding the potential of the new myostatin + activin A bispecific to promote weight loss while preventing muscle loss and weight regain as well as less frequent dosing than current obesity treatments; IBIO-600 having an extended half-life; the planned entry into clinical investigation in obesity and cardiometabolic disorders in 2026; developing therapeutics that offer patients quality weight loss by reducing obesity while preserving muscle mass, promoting muscle growth, and avoiding weight regain; the myostatin + activin A bispecific antibody having the potential to treat several additional cardiometabolic disorders.



In conclusion, iBio's expansion of its cardiometabolic and obesity treatment development program with the in-licensed anti-myostatin antibody IBIO-600 and the planned myostatin/activin A bispecific antibody program positions the company to address significant unmet medical needs in the cardiometabolic and obesity space. With its proprietary Drug Discovery Platform and collaboration with AstralBio, iBio is well-equipped to develop therapeutics that offer patients quality weight loss while preserving muscle mass and promoting muscle growth. The potential market size and growth opportunities for iBio's cardiometabolic and obesity treatment pipeline make this an attractive investment for those seeking exposure to the biotechnology sector.