Immune Pharmaceuticals Enters a Research Partnership to Develop Mono- and Bispecific Antibodies Against Novel Targets in the Tumor Microenvironment

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNP), "Immune", a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of immuno-inflammatory diseases and cancers, announced today that it has entered an exclusive sub-license agreement with SATT Sud-Est, a French Technology Transfer Office, to develop, use, manufacture and commercialize mono- and bispecific antibodies targeting components of the tumor microenvironment and angiogenic factors. The research program will be carried out under the responsibility of Inserm, CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research), UCA (University Cote d'Azur), CSM (Scientific Center of Monaco), and Immune Pharmaceuticals.

The research project is based on a novel technology platform for production of tetravalent IgG-1 like bispecific antibodies, developed by Dr. Jean Kadouche, Scientific Co-Founder of Immune, with a European academic consortium under a European commission grant. This collaboration will leverage the scientific and technological expertise of several world-renowned scientists, and will be led by Prof. Gilles Pagès, Principal Investigator in the Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice, (IRCAN) France, an expert in the field of cytokine biology and tumor angiogenesis. Immune will fund the development of the bispecific program, including the tumor microenvironment project, through its subsidiary Cytovia Oncology Inc. "The targets of these bispecific antibodies are the well-known Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and cytokines of the IL-8 family that drive autocrine proliferation loop in tumor cells, inflammation and angiogenesis. These antibodies are the first to inhibit at the same time the processes involved in tumor development and metastasis. Our preliminary results in models of renal cell carcinoma are encouraging" said Pr Gilles Pagès.

Dr. Daniel Teper, Immune CEO stated: "This research collaboration is focused on the discovery and development of innovative bispecific development candidates, which will complement our existing immune-oncology pipeline and strengthen our potential to enter into partnerships with other biopharmaceutical companies."

About Immune Pharmaceuticals:

Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNP) applies a personalized approach to treating and developing novel, highly targeted antibody therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with inflammatory diseases and cancer. Immune's lead product candidate, bertilimumab, is in Phase II clinical development for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis as well as for bullous pemphigoid, an orphan autoimmune dermatological condition. Other indications being considered for development include atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease, severe asthma and Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis (NASH), an inflammatory liver disease. Immune recently expanded its portfolio in immuno-dermatology with topical nano-formulated cyclosporine-A for the treatment of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Immune's oncology pipeline includes Ceplene® which is in late stage clinical development for maintenance remission in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in combination with IL-2. Additional oncology pipeline includes Azixa® and crolibulin, Phase II clinical stage vascular disrupting agents, and novel technology platforms; bispecific antibodies and NanomAbs™. Maxim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Immune's pain and neurology subsidiary is developing AmiKet™ and AmiKet™ Nano™ for the treatment of neuropathic pain. For more information, visit Immune's website at www.immunepharma.com, the content of which is not a part of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

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SOURCE Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc.