ABIVAX Announces R&D Day at Company’s New Collaborative Laboratory in Montpellier

Regulatory News:

ABIVAX (Paris:ABVX) (Euronext Paris: FR0012333284 – ABVX), an innovative biotechnology company targeting the immune system to eliminate viral disease, announces that today it is hosting an R&D Day at the Company’s new collaborative laboratory with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Montpellier.

Inaugurated on September 22^nd 2016, this collaborative lab houses all of ABIVAX’s research activities on the Languedoc-Roussillon CNRS campus and is equipped with cutting-edge technological infrastructures and platforms.

Founded in 2013, ABIVAX now employs 25 people and has developed a portfolio of antiviral, immune enhancing and polyclonal antibody compounds which are currently in research, preclinical or clinical development for the treatment of severe or life-threatening viral infections such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Chikungunya and Dengue, and potentially also for oncology indications

ABIVAX discovered ABX464, its most advanced compound, leveraging the Company’s unique antiviral technology platform developed in collaboration with the CNRS and the Curie Institute with the goal of generating small antiviral molecules with a novel mode of action. ABX464 is based on a thorough understanding of the transformation processes of viral RNA inside human immune cells and the ability of these proprietary chemical compounds to inhibit protein-RNA interactions.

ABX464 has not only been demonstrated to inhibit viral replication in vitro and in vivo, but also to induce a long-lasting reduction of the viral load following discontinuation of treatment in pre-clinical testing. This molecule has substantial potential in the context of developing a new class of antiretroviral drugs, which could lead to a functional cure for HIV/AIDS patients.

Prof. Hartmut Ehrlich, M.D., CEO of ABIVAX, commented: "We are pleased to open the doors of our laboratories today in order to present our technologies and highlight the recent progress we’ve achieved in advancing our product pipeline in the clinic, including ABX464, which is currently in a second Phase IIa clinical trial in patients infected with HIV. This molecule, which has the potential to fundamentally improve the treatment options for patients with HIV/AIDS, resulted from the collaboration between the teams of Dr. Jamal Tazi, Professor at the Montpellier Molecular Genetics Institute, Dr. Florence Mahuteau from the Curie Institute, and Dr. Didier Scherrer, VP R&D at ABIVAX. We are confident that ABX464 has the potential to become a key component of a functional cure for one of the world’s deadliest diseases.”

ABIVAX’s R&D activities are based on 3 technology platforms:

• The "Antiviral” Platform: A proprietary chemical library of small molecules with an innovative approach to targeting viral RNA biogenesis. This platform has generated several first-in-class drug candidates currently under development for the treatment viral diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

• The "Immune Enhancer” Platform: A platform with the potential to generate a new class of immune enhancers for use in infectious disease and oncology. This platform is based on technology and exclusive rights granted to ABIVAX by The Scripps Research Institute, the University of Chicago and Brigham Young University.
• The "Polyclonal Antibody” Platform: A platform to mix antibodies prepared from animal or human plasma, typically after vaccination or naturally occurring infectious disease. ABIVAX believes polyclonal antibodies may deliver both a prophylaxis and a treatment for Ebola. There are a number of other infectious diseases for which the polyclonal antibody platform may be able to deliver improved prophylaxis and/or treatment options.

The video webcast and accompanying slide presentation will be posted on the Investors’ section of the Company's website at http://www.abivax.com/en/investors.

About ABIVAX (www.abivax.com)

ABIVAX is an innovative biotechnology company focused on targeting the immune system to eliminate viral disease. ABIVAX leverages three technology platforms for drug discovery: an anti-viral, an immune enhancement, and a polyclonal antibody platform. ABX464, its most advanced compound, is currently in Phase II clinical trials and is a first-in-class oral small anti-viral molecule which blocks HIV replication through a unique mechanism of action. In addition, ABIVAX is advancing multiple preclinical candidates against additional viral targets (i.e. Chikungunya, Ebola, Dengue) as well as an immune enhancer, and several of these compounds are planned to enter clinical development within the next 18 months. A recently updated corporate presentation, which includes a timeline for the company’s anticipated news flow, is available at www.abivax.com.

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