ABLYNX
GHENT, Belgium, 20 June 2014 - Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX] today announced that at the European Mediscience Awards 2014, the Company won the Transaction of the Year Award for its deal with AbbVie, worth up to US$840 million, for the development and commercialisation of its anti- IL-6R Nanobody® (ALX‑0061) to treat inflammatory diseases.
Ablynx also signed an exclusive collaboration and licensing agreement with Merck & Co in February
2014, focused on the discovery and development of several predefined Nanobody candidates for the
development of cancer immunotherapies. Under the terms of the agreement, Ablynx received an upfront payment of €20 million and will receive up to €10.7 million in research funding with the potential to accrue as much as €1.7 billion plus tiered royalties.
The European Mediscience Awards, sponsored by Kempen & Co, is the largest annual gathering of private and publicly quoted healthcare, biotech and life sciences companies in Europe. It celebrates the best in the sector and highlights the achievements of individuals and companies. The event recognises the importance of the capital markets to fund growth and innovation. Transaction of the Year is awarded to a company which has completed a significant commercial or corporate transaction during the period 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.
"We are delighted to have won this prestigious award against such strong competition. In September
2013, we signed one of the year's largest product licensing deals for a clinical asset with AbbVie, worth up to US$840 million plus double digit royalties. Then in February 2014 we entered into our second research collaboration and licensing agreement with Merck & Co. These deals demonstrate the potential of our Nanobody platform and have not only provided us with substantial financial resources but will also enable us to further expand our expertise and capabilities in late-stage clinical development and in the immuno-oncology field. These deals were major landmarks for the Company and we are looking forward to fruitful and successful partnerships."
Ablynxis a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of Nanobodies ®, a novel class of therapeutic proteins based on single-domain antibody fragments, for a range of serious human diseases, including inflammation, haematology, oncology and pulmonary disease. Today, the Company has more than 30 programmes in the pipelineand seven Nanobodies in clinical development. Ablynx has on-going research collaborations and significant partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck & Co, Merck Serono and Novartis. The Company is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. More information can be found on www.ablynx.com.
For more information, please contact: Ablynx:
Dr Edwin Moses
CEO
t: +32 (0)9 262 00 07
m: +44 (0)7771 954 193 /
+32 (0)473 39 50 68
e: edwin.moses@ablynx.com
Marieke Vermeersch
Associate Director Investor Relations t: +32 (0)9 262 00 82
m: +32 (0)479 49 06 03
e: marieke.vermeersch@ablynx.com
@AblynxABLX
Mary-Jane Elliott, Amber Bielecka, Lindsey Neville t: +44 203 709 5700
e: ablynx@consilium-comms.com
Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors' current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward - looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its parent or subsidiary undertakings or any such person's officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.
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