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Immune Boosting Drug May Prevent Bird Flu Pandemic

Top ImmuneRegen Officials Looking to Increase Avian Flu Outbreak Preparedness Efforts

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 10, 2005 -- ImmuneRegen BioSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: IRBO), today announced that it is moving rapidly forward with its strategy for combating avian influenza A (H5N1), also known as bird flu . The company, which has seen its proprietary drug, Viprovex™, treat other strains of influenza in animal models, is currently pursuing government and military collaborations to test Viprovex™ on the H5N1 strain itself. Company officials are confident they will find similar results due to the immune boosting nature of the drug. This comes after an announcement from President Bush that his administration will focus on preparing for an outbreak of the bird flu. Further, the Senate last week passed legislation authorizing $4 billion for additional purchases of anti-flu medication.

“The scientific community’s biggest fear is that before a vaccine is available, the avian flu strain will mutate to where it can infect people more readily, or become transmissible from person to person,” says ImmuneRegen CEO, Michael Wilhelm. "Based on the results of our Hong Kong influenza virus research, we believe Viprovex™ will enable the body’s own immune system to fight off any flu strain naturally. This opens the possibility that Viprovex™ could be used either as a stand alone treatment or as an adjunct to a vaccine or other therapy.”

In past studies, ImmuneRegen researchers have found that Viprovex™ decreases apoptosis (cell death) in pulmonary alveolar macrophages after toxic exposure. The research indicates that Viprovex™ keeps pulmonary alveolar macrophages alive to fight respiratory viruses. With the Viprovex™ treatment, studies show a very large decrease in lung injury after Hong Kong Influenza infection in mice. In addition, Viprovex™ increases interferon gamma production in the spleen after viral infection. Interferon was administered to SARS victims in Canada to fight the deadly disease, but this treatment was rejected in China and other parts of Asia because of the toxic effects of interferon administration.

Earlier in the year, officials of ImmuneRegen presented “A new neurokinin receptor agonist as a potential treatment and prophylactic measure in poultry and humans for avian flu (af)” at the 2-day conference on Avian Influenza held in Paris, France on April 7 and 8, 2005. This abstract showed the possibility of efficacy in treating and preventing the multiple strains of Avian Flu and how, unlike flu vaccines, Viprovex™ could be a universal protectant against many types of influenza.

About ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.
ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: IRBO), is a biotechnology company engaged in the research and development of applications utilizing modified Substance P, a naturally occurring immunomodulator. Derived from homeostatic substance P, the company has named their proprietary compound "Homspera." The Company's initial focus is on the continuing development of Homspera for various applications for use in improving pulmonary function and stimulating the human immune system. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.immuneregen.com.

About ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc.

a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc., (OTC BB:IRBS.OB - News) is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on the research, development and licensing of Homspera™ and its derivatives. Homspera is an adult stem cell active compound that in study results has been shown to regenerate and strengthen the immune system and enhance wound healing. Viprovex®, a derivative of Homspera, is being developed for potential use against infectious diseases as a stand-alone or combination therapy and as a vaccine adjuvant. To advance its mission, the Scottsdale, Arizona based company has forged numerous study partnerships with industry and academic leaders, including Celgene Cellular Therapeutics, HemoGenix, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute and Virion Systems. For more information, please visit www.immuneregen.com.

Statements about ImmuneRegen's future expectations, including statements about the potential use and scientific results for ImmuneRegen's drug candidates, science and technology, and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. ImmuneRegen intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. These future events may not occur as and when expected, if at all, and, together with ImmuneRegen's business, are subject to various risks and uncertainties. ImmuneRegen's actual results could differ materially from expected results as a result of a number of factors, including the uncertainties inherent in research and development collaborations, pre-clinical and clinical trials and product development programs (including, but not limited to the fact that future results or research and development efforts may prove less encouraging than current results or cause side effects not observed in current pre-clinical trials), the evaluation of potential opportunities, the level of corporate expenditures and monies available for further studies, capital market conditions, and others set forth in ImmuneRegen's periodic report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2008 and on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2007 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There are no guarantees that any of ImmuneRegen's proposed products will prove to be commercially successful. ImmuneRegen undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements.

Contact:
Amendola Communications for ImmuneRegen
Jan Shulman, 480-664-8412 ext. 12
jshulman@ACmarketingPR.com

Jodi Amendola, 480-664-8412 ext 11
jamendola@ACmarketingPR.com

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