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Safety Monitoring Committee Recommends That Emergent BioSolutions Continue Its Hepatitis B Immunothe

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Safety Monitoring Committee Recommends That Emergent BioSolutions Continue Its

Hepatitis B Immunotherapy Phase II Trial

http://www.centredaily.com

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that

based upon recommendations from an independent Safety Monitoring Committee (SMC)

the company is progressing into the next stage of the enrollment of patients in

its study of a hepatitis B immunotherapy. In this study, a total of 45 patients

with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection are being randomized within three

separate groups to receive immunotherapy or placebo. The immunotherapy utilizes

the company's proprietary spi-VEC delivery system to deliver the hepatitis B

core antigen, in order to induce an immune response to the hepatitis B virus.

" We are pleased by the Safety Monitoring Committee's recommendation and look

forward to advancing this critical study of our hepatitis B candidate. Hepatitis

B is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide and our commitment to the

development of this therapeutic vaccine is squarely in line with our mission -

to protect life, " said Abdun-Nabi, president of Emergent BioSolutions

Inc.

The SMC reviewed the safety data from the first group of patients that have

completed day 70 in the study. On the basis of the available data, the SMC

recommended that the company continue to progress the study into the two

remaining groups. The company anticipates preliminary top line safety and

efficacy data from this study will be available at the end of 2008 and complete

study results will be available in the first half of 2009.

About The Hepatitis B Therapeutic Vaccine Candidate

Although current treatment options are safe and effective in the majority of

patients, the majority of hepatitis B patients are unable to clear the viral

infection resulting in the need for long-term therapy. The company's HBV

immunotherapeutic is designed to direct the immune system against virus infected

cells in the liver. Following oral administration, the hepatitis B core antigen

protein is produced by the spi-VEC Salmonella vector, within gut macrophages.

The macrophages " present " portions of the HBV core antigen to the immune system,

inducing antigen specific T-cells responsible for cell-mediated immunity.

Through the targeted immune response, the company's hepatitis B immunotherapy is

anticipated to benefit patients by increasing the potential to clear the virus

therefore minimizing the risk of liver damage and eliminating the need for

long-term antiviral therapy.

About Hepatitis B

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 2 billion people

(one-third of the world's population) have been infected with HBV and that

between 350 and 400 million people are chronically infected. Globally, chronic

HBV is one of the leading causes of advanced liver cancer. During their

lifetime, 10-40% of chronic HBV patients will develop serious sequelae, such as

hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis and decompensated liver disease. Hepatitis B

virus affects all countries and geographic areas throughout the world.

The hepatitis B market size is estimated to be currently valued at $500 million

and is expected to double to over $1 billion by 2010. The strong market growth

is attributed to an increase in the awareness and diagnosis of hepatitis B, as

well as the increasing use of drug combination therapy.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-239.html#_Safety_Monitoring\

_Committee

About Emergent BioSolutions Inc.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. is a profitable, multinational biopharmaceutical

company dedicated to one simple mission--to protect life. We develop,

manufacture and commercialize immunobiotics, consisting of vaccines and

therapeutics, that assist the body's immune system to prevent or treat disease.

Our products target infectious diseases and other medical conditions that have

resulted in significant unmet or underserved public health needs. Our marketed

product, BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), is the only vaccine approved by

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of anthrax infection.

More information on the company is available at www.emergentbiosolutions.com .

SafeHarbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than

statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our strategy,

future operations, prospects, plans and objectives of management, including

clinical trial results and development plans, and any other statements

containing the words " believes " , " expects " , " anticipates " , " plans " , " estimates "

and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. There are a number of

important factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ

materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including

the rate and degree of market acceptance and clinical utility of our products;

our ongoing and planned development programs, preclinical studies and clinical

trials; our ability to identify and acquire or in license products and product

candidates that satisfy our selection criteria; the potential benefits of our

existing collaboration agreements and our ability to enter into selective

additional collaboration arrangements; the timing of and our ability to obtain

and maintain regulatory approvals for our product candidates; our

commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; our

intellectual property portfolio; our estimates regarding expenses, future

revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; and other

factors identified in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the

quarter ended September 30, 2007 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. The

company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking

statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press

release.

Emergent BioSolutions Inc.

Investors: G. Burrows, 301-795-1877 Vice President, Investor Relations

BurrowsR@... or Media Contact: Tracey Schmitt, 301-795-1847 Director,

Corporate Communications SchmittT@....

_________________________________________________________________

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