Hemispherx Biopharma Press Release for
Thursday, October 08, 2009

Philadelphia, PA, Thursday, October 08, 2009: Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (NYSE Amex: HEB) (the “Company”), announced that Dr. H. Hasegawa, Chief, Laboratory of Mucosal Vaccine Development Virus Research Center, Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases (JIID), will review data on Ampligen®, an experimental immunotherapeutic, at the “Mucosal Immunity” session of the Japan-France Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Workshop in Osaka, October 10, 2009. (Please see http://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/seminar/info/2009/10/594) Dr. Hasegawa is the Principal Investigator on the Ampligen®/ Influenza vaccine program under the joint auspices of JIID/ Ministry of Health, Biken Corporation (Osaka) and Hemispherx Biopharma. Dr. Hasegawa will provide an overview of intranasal pandemic flu vaccine and nasal immunity mechanisms.

According to public sources, the first swine flu vaccines (e.g.,“Flu Mist”) are scheduled for delivery in the United States this week. As intranasal vaccines, their initial use is targeted for high risk populations. The intranasal vaccine production technology utilized in the referenced mucosal influenza immunity program by JIID is also licensed from the U.S. based manufacturers of “Flu-Mist” (via various license and operating agreements with and between Biken Corporation and the Japanese Ministry of Health). To the Company’s knowledge, no pandemic influenza vaccines have yet been approved and distributed in Japan.

According to Dr. Hasegawa’s peer reviewed published research including an Abstract recently published at the Sapporo, Japan, Vaccinology Conference, Ampligen® (Poly I : Poly C12U) an experimental immunotherapeutic and centerpiece of a mucosal immunity program, may convey two additional biological properties when co-administered intranasally with pandemic flu vaccines: 1) the enhancement of immunity with higher IgA and IgG levels which may convey a survival/therapeutic advantage in animal model systems, and 2) the potential to widen the therapeutic (preventative) profile by protecting against a phenomenon known as “antigenic drift” in which the pandemic virus may escape the preventative effect of the vaccine; this phenomenon is well-established with avian H5N1 virus and mitigated the potential effectiveness of various influenza vaccines manufactured several years ago in the U.S.A.

Animal model experiments do not necessarily predict biological behavior in man. Regulatory agencies are the only governmental entities vested with the authority to determine whether biological products and experimental therapeutics may be deemed safe and effective for use in a human population.


About Hemispherx Biopharma
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. is an advanced specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the manufacture and clinical development of new drug entities for treatment of seriously debilitating disorders. Hemispherx’s flagship products include Alferon N Injection® (FDA approved for a category of sexually transmitted diseases) and the experimental therapeutics Ampligen® Oragens®, and Alferon LDO. Ampligen® and Oragens® represent experimental RNA nucleic acids being developed for globally important debilitating diseases and disorders of the immune system. Hemispherx’s platform technology includes large and small agent components for potential treatment of various severely debilitating and life threatening diseases. Hemispherx has in excess of 50 patents comprising its core intellectual property estate and a fully commercialized product (Alferon N Injection®). The Company wholly owns and exclusively operates a GMP certified manufacturing facility in the United States for commercial products. For more information please visit www.hemispherx.net.

Contact:
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.,
Dianne Will, Investor Relations
(518) 398-6222, Fax: (518) 398-6369

HEB's Web Site: www.hemispherx.net

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (NYSE Amex: HEB) (the “Company”), announced that Dr. H. Hasegawa, Chief, Laboratory of Mucosal Vaccine Development Virus Research Center, Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases (JIID), will review data on Ampligen®, an experimental immunotherapeutic, at the “Mucosal Immunity” session of the Japan-France Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Workshop in Osaka, October 10, 2009. (Please see http://www.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/seminar/info/2009/10/594) Dr. Hasegawa is the Principal Investigator on the Ampligen®/ Influenza vaccine program under the joint auspices of JIID/ Ministry of Health, Biken Corporation (Osaka) and Hemispherx Biopharma. Dr. Hasegawa will provide an overview of intranasal pandemic flu vaccine and nasal immunity mechanisms.

According to public sources, the first swine flu vaccines (e.g.,“Flu Mist”) are scheduled for delivery in the United States this week. As intranasal vaccines, their initial use is targeted for high risk populations. The intranasal vaccine production technology utilized in the referenced mucosal influenza immunity program by JIID is also licensed from the U.S. based manufacturers of “Flu-Mist” (via various license and operating agreements with and between Biken Corporation and the Japanese Ministry of Health). To the Company’s knowledge, no pandemic influenza vaccines have yet been approved and distributed in Japan.

According to Dr. Hasegawa’s peer reviewed published research including an Abstract recently published at the Sapporo, Japan, Vaccinology Conference, Ampligen® (Poly I : Poly C12U) an experimental immunotherapeutic and centerpiece of a mucosal immunity program, may convey two additional biological properties when co-administered intranasally with pandemic flu vaccines: 1) the enhancement of immunity with higher IgA and IgG levels which may convey a survival/therapeutic advantage in animal model systems, and 2) the potential to widen the therapeutic (preventative) profile by protecting against a phenomenon known as “antigenic drift” in which the pandemic virus may escape the preventative effect of the vaccine; this phenomenon is well-established with avian H5N1 virus and mitigated the potential effectiveness of various influenza vaccines manufactured several years ago in the U.S.A.

Animal model experiments do not necessarily predict biological behavior in man. Regulatory agencies are the only governmental entities vested with the authority to determine whether biological products and experimental therapeutics may be deemed safe and effective for use in a human population.


About Hemispherx Biopharma
Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. is an advanced specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the manufacture and clinical development of new drug entities for treatment of seriously debilitating disorders. Hemispherx’s flagship products include Alferon N Injection® (FDA approved for a category of sexually transmitted diseases) and the experimental therapeutics Ampligen® Oragens®, and Alferon LDO. Ampligen® and Oragens® represent experimental RNA nucleic acids being developed for globally important debilitating diseases and disorders of the immune system. Hemispherx’s platform technology includes large and small agent components for potential treatment of various severely debilitating and life threatening diseases. Hemispherx has in excess of 50 patents comprising its core intellectual property estate and a fully commercialized product (Alferon N Injection®). The Company wholly owns and exclusively operates a GMP certified manufacturing facility in the United States for commercial products. For more information please visit www.hemispherx.net.