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Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2004--In response to recent events
and queries received from the investing public, DOR BioPharma, Inc.
("DOR" or "the Company") (AMEX OR) is providing this update on the
progress of its ricin vaccine program. Ricin is a plant-derived toxin
that because of ease of manufacture and potency, represents an
attractive potential bioterrorism weapon for which no vaccine or
therapy currently exists.
As announced previously, DOR has licensed the worldwide rights to
a recombinant vaccine antigen from the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UT Southwestern). The vaccine
candidate, which is being developed in collaboration with UT
Southwestern, is a modified subunit of the native ricin toxin which
has been genetically engineered to eliminate both its enzymatic
activity and its ability to induce vascular leak syndrome (VLS).
Complete elimination of both types of toxicity is likely to render
this vaccine safe at effective doses.
To date, UT Southwestern has completed much of the testing
required to support the filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND)
application. The University plans to file the IND in the first half of
2004 with the intent of entering human clinical testing later this
summer. A portion of the work to date has been funded directly through
a sponsored research agreement with DOR. In August of 2003, UT
Southwestern received a grant of $2.8 million from the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant is being used to
fund further preclinical studies on the safety and efficacy of the
vaccine using a ricin aerosol challenge model. The funds will also be
used to compare formulations of the vaccine designed to induce
systemic versus mucosal activity, including nasal and oral
formulations. In addition to this funding, DOR has recently applied to
the NIAID for a grant to fund larger scale manufacturing and continued
development.
DOR's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ralph Ellison,
commented on the program: "We are working diligently to develop a safe
and effective vaccine to protect against exposure to this deadly
poison. Recent events in the news highlight the need for effective
countermeasures against bioterror agents such as ricin."

About DOR BioPharma, Inc.
DOR BioPharma, Inc. is a development-stage biopharmaceutical
company specializing in the clinical testing of products that meet
unmet medical needs. Through its Biodefense Division, DOR is currently
developing vaccines against Ricin Toxin and Botulinum Toxin. DOR's
lead therapeutic product, orBec(R) (oral beclomethasone dipropionate),
is currently in a pivotal phase III clinical trial for the treatment
of intestinal graft-versus-host disease. For further information
regarding DOR BioPharma, please visit the company's website located at www.dorbiopharma.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that
reflect DOR BioPharma's current expectations about its future results,
performance, prospects and opportunities, including its product
development and product pipeline. Where possible, DOR BioPharma has
tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such
as "anticipates," "believes" or similar expressions. These statements
are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that
could cause actual events or results in future periods to differ
materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, these statements.
DOR BioPharma cannot assure you that it will be able to successfully
develop or commercialize products based on its technology,
particularly in light of the significant uncertainty inherent in
developing mucosally administered vaccines against bioterror threats,
manufacturing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials of
vaccines, and obtaining regulatory approvals, that its technologies
will prove to be safe and effective, that its cash expenditures will
not exceed projected levels, that it will be able to obtain future
financing or funds when needed, that, product development and
commercialization efforts will not be reduced or discontinued due to
difficulties or delays in clinical trials or due to lack of progress
or positive results from research and development efforts, that it
will be able to successfully enter into profitable biodefense
contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and other countries
,that it will be able to patent, register or protect its technology
from challenge and products from competition or maintain or expand its
license agreements with its current licensors, or that its business
strategy will be successful. These and other factors are described
from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, including, but not limited to, DOR BioPharma's most recent
reports on Form 10-QSB and Form 10-KSB. DOR BioPharma assumes no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a
result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or for
any other reason.

--30--AB/cg*

CONTACT: DOR BioPharma, Inc.
Company Contact:
Ralph M. Ellison, MD, MBA
(305)534-3383
rellison@dorbiopharma.com
or
Redington, Inc.
Investor Relations Contact:
Thomas Redington
(203)222-7399
info@redingtoninc.com
www.redingtoninc.com

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