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ImmuneRegen BioSciences Appoints Asa Hutchinson to Bioterrorism Preparedness Advisory Board

Former Congressman, Under Secretary of the Dept. of Homeland Security Joins Board as Advisor

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and development biotechnology company ImmuneRegen BioSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of IR BioSciences Holdings, Inc., has named Asa Hutchinson, a former congressman of Arkansas and former Under Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, as a senior advisor to its Bioterrorism Preparedness Advisory Board.

Mr. Hutchinson will be charged, along with his fellow board members, with assisting in the development of a plan to disseminate the proprietary and potentially life-saving Radilex(TM)/Viprovex(TM) in the event of a biological or nuclear disaster. The ImmuneRegen Bioterrorism Preparedness Advisory Board will serve as a resource to the leadership of IR as it works to develop biological countermeasures in the current threat environment.

"Mr. Hutchinson's in-depth background in Homeland Security are of incalculable importance to our Advisory Board," said Michael K. Wilhelm, ImmuneRegen's CEO. "His knowledge and experience will benefit us greatly, especially in helping to guide our strategic plan related to Bioshield II legislation and in our pursuit to make Radilex™ a staple in all national emergency preparedness stockpiles."

Radilex™ is a treatment currently in development to counteract the effects of lethal radiation dosages. Having undergone its seventh stage of testing, Radilex™ is heading into its final phase of rodent studies with Oak Ridge National Laboratories.

"The U.S. can and should do more to aid the development and procurement of effective countermeasures for multiple homeland security threats. These threats include chemical agents, Acute Radiation Sickness (ARS) from a dirty bomb or nuclear disaster, and infectious disease/biological warfare scenarios," said Hutchinson. "If the country were under a biological, chemical or radiological attack today, I fear we would not have sufficient stockpiles of medicine to meet the needs of the nation. This is why I accepted ImmueRegen's invitation to help develop public-private partnerships that will better protect the country from terrorist attack."

The U.S. Senate confirmed Mr. Hutchinson as Under Secretary of Homeland Security in January 2003, shortly after the department was created. As one of the nation's top-ranking homeland security officials after Secretary Tom Ridge, he was responsible for more than 110,000 federal employees housed in such agencies as the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. He was responsible for managing and coordinating the overall security of U.S. borders and transportation systems, setting immigration enforcement policies and priorities, and developing and implementing visa security programs.

During his tenure as Under Secretary, Mr. Hutchinson modernized border inspections through the successful reorganization of formerly fragmented border agencies into one unified inspection force under Customs and Border Protection. He also advanced the use of new border technology, including development of the US-VISIT program -- a historic biometric entry-exit system for foreign visitors to the United States.

 

 


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

or


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

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