Naval Health Research Center Presents Preliminary Data on Biovest Bioreactor System

TAMPA, Fla. and MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Biovest International, Inc. (OTCQB:BVTI) today announced that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), presented encouraging preliminary results demonstrating that Biovest’s hollow fiber bio-manufacturing system is capable of efficiently producing a strain of pandemic A/H1N1 influenza virus. The results were presented this week at the 13th Annual Force Health Protection Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

NHRC and Biovest investigations demonstrated that Biovest’s hollow fiber bioreactor system has the capability to produce high titer influenza virus (A/Mexico/4108/2009 H1N1) in MDCK cells, and growth variables can be manipulated to increase viral titer and production. This work utilizes Biovest’s Primer-HF® bioreactor, a disposable single-use hollow fiber instrument designed for producing research quantities of proteins or virus. Future NHRC studies are planned to be conducted in Biovest’s AutovaxID™ bioreactor, a scalable, automated, hollow fiber instrument designed for larger-scale GMP production applications.

Biovest’s President, Mr. Samuel S. Duffey, stated, “We have been working collaboratively with the DoD to expand the capabilities of our hollow fiber bioreactor systems, and the NHRC’s initial studies confirm that Biovest’s hollow fiber instruments hold the promise to play a vital role in the efficient cell culture production of viral vaccines.”

About Biovest International, Inc.

Biovest International, Inc. is an emerging leader in the field of active personalized immunotherapies targeting life-threatening cancers of the blood system. Developed in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, BiovaxID® is a patient-specific, cancer vaccine, demonstrating statistically significant Phase III clinical benefit by prolonging disease-free survival in vaccinated patients suffering from indolent follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, confirming a previous positive Phase II study. BiovaxID has been granted “Fast-Track” status and Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of follicular lymphoma by the FDA and Orphan Drug Designation by the European EMEA. A BiovaxID Phase II clinical trial treating patients suffering with mantle cell lymphoma, an incurable and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also demonstrated promising results with the FDA granting Orphan Drug Designation for this second targeted indication.

Biovest is also developing and marketing a proprietary line of automated hollow fiber bioreactor systems, including the innovative AutovaxID™ which is a production platform for the scalable manufacture of difficult-to-produce biologics including personalized medicines, monoclonal antibodies, cell culture vaccines and therapeutics targeting highly infectious agents. Since 1981, Biovest has been offering its clients a wide range of instrumentation and cell culture contract manufacturing services. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida with its bio-manufacturing facility based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Biovest is publicly-traded on the OTCQB™ Market with the stock-ticker symbol “BVTI”, and is a majority-owned subsidiary of Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Other OTC: “ABPIQ”).

For further information, please visit: http://www.biovest.com

Special Note: Biovest expects to soon launch its new website.

Forward-Looking Statements: Statements in this release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute "forward-looking statements." Such statements include, but are not limited to statements about BiovaxID®, AutovaxID™, events occurring after dates hereof, and any other statements relating to products, product candidates, product development programs, the FDA or clinical study process including the commencement, process, or completion of clinical trials or the regulatory process. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements identified by words such as "may," "could," "would," "should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results of Biovest to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties related to the progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product development programs; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approval for product candidates; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; and the additional risks discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Biovest undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. The product names used in this statement are for identification purposes only. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.



CONTACT:

Biovest International, Inc.
Douglas Calder, Director of Investor Relations & Public Relations, 813-864-2558
[email protected]

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