ABIVAX commends Cuba on being the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Regulatory News:

ABIVAX (Paris:ABVX), a clinical stage biotech company specializing in the discovery, development and commercialization of anti-viral therapies, applauds Cuba for being the first country in the world to have eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This follows an announcement by the WHO on June 30^th stating, "Cuba today became the first country in the world to receive validation from WHO that it has eliminated mother-to child transmission of HIV and syphilis.” The statement goes on to quote the WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, who adds, "Eliminating transmission of a virus is one of the greatest public health achievements possible … This is a major victory in our long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and an important step towards having an AIDS-free generation … This is a celebration for Cuba and a celebration for children and families everywhere.”

Professor Hartmut Ehrlich, CEO of ABIVAX, commented: "We are delighted about Cuba’s validation as the first country to have eliminated mother-to-child HIV. This accomplishment demonstrates the quality of Cuban research, scientists and doctors with whom we have collaborated over the past several years in the area of anti-viral therapies.”

ABIVAX, a public company since June 23^rd 2015 and which had the largest-ever biotech IPO in France, focuses on severe and life-threatening viral diseases which are of particular concern on a global scale, such as HIV/AIDS, chronic Hepatitis B, Ebola, Dengue and Chikungunya. In addition to its innovative technology platform, which has produced a first-in-class novel anti-viral compound against HIV, ABIVAX has a close connection to the Cuban life sciences sector, and thus to the world-class science and cutting-edge technology research that characterize the Cuban life sciences industry. Since 2010, ABIVAX has pioneered relationships with Cuba’s world-class vaccine institutes, the CIGB - Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, and the Finlay Institute. Through these relationships, ABIVAX has secured broad access to Cuban R&D and product manufacturing. These affiliations have already resulted in a number of important deals for ABIVAX.

A keystone of ABIVAX’s product portfolio is its first-in-class compound ABX464, a novel small molecule against HIV, which is currently in advanced clinical development (Phase II). ABX464 presents a number of significant potential competitive advantages to existing HIV therapies, including the lack of induced resistance and a long-lasting effect. ABX464 is the only product to-date that can act on HIV-infected cells in order to block replication of the HIV virus. ABX464’s mechanism of action was highlighted in the April issue of Retrovirology, http://www.retrovirology.com/content/12/1/30/abstract, a leading journal of peer-reviewed scientific work.

In addition to ABX464, ABIVAX’s portfolio includes ABX203, a therapeutic vaccine that could be a cure for chronic Hepatitis B, and that is also in advanced clinical development. ABIVAX’s portfolio also encompasses several additional anti-viral compounds that may enter the clinical phase in the coming 12-18 months.

According to the WHO, around 1.4 million women throughout the world, infected with HIV, become pregnant each year, primarily in developing countries and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Without the benefit of antiretroviral treatment, these women have a 15% to 45% risk of transmitting HIV to their child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breast-feeding. However, this risk is virtually eliminated, falling to little more than 1%, if the mother has antiretroviral therapy during her pregnancy, and if the infant has access to antiretroviral treatment immediately after birth. At present in Cuba, more than 95% of pregnant women who have the HIV virus receive these treatments. Additionally, more than 95% of pregnant women benefit from at least one pre-natal visit, whether or not they are carriers of the HIV virus. In other words, almost all pregnant women in the country benefit from pre-natal care that allows for the screening of HIV, and also syphilis. The number of children who are HIV positive at birth each year has been almost halved since 2009, decreasing from 400,000 in that year to 240,000 in 2013. However, efforts must be increased in order to reach the current objective of having fewer than 40,000 infants infected with HIV each year by their mothers.

About ABIVAX

ABIVAX is an advanced clinical development biotech company focused on becoming a global leader in the discovery, development and commercialization of anti-viral compounds and human vaccines to treat some of the world’s most life-threatening infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and chronic Hepatitis B.

ABIVAX has two compounds in clinical stage research: ABX464 a novel small molecule against HIV with a number of important potential competitive advantages, and ABX203, a therapeutic vaccine candidate that could be a cure for chronic Hepatitis B. The broader ABIVAX portfolio includes additional anti-viral compounds and vaccines that may enter the clinical stage in the coming 18 months.

ABX464 has been developed using ABIVAX’s anti-viral platform that allows the Company to address a broad range of viral targets involved in the production and management of viral RNA within the host cell. ABIVAX also has access to a number of cutting edge technologies including complex molecular protein/RNA-pro interactions to discover and develop proprietary breakthrough therapies to help patients clear important pathogenic viruses.

Headquartered in Paris, France, ABIVAX conducts its research and development in Évry (France) and Montpellier (France). In addition, ABIVAX benefits from long term partnerships with the Cuban Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Havana, Cuba), The Finlay Institute (Havana, Cuba), the Molecular Genetics Institute of Montpellier (CNRS-Université de Montpellier, France), the Curie Institute (Paris, France), The Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, CA, USA), the University of Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA), Brigham Young University (Provo, UT, USA), and the Institut Pasteur (Paris, France). ABIVAX intends to pursue further business development opportunities to access commercial products as part of its overall corporate strategy.

ABIVAX was founded by Dr. Philippe Pouletty, M.D., managing partner at Truffle Capital, the cornerstone investor in ABIVAX since its creation.

For further information, please visit the company’s website: www.ABIVAX.com

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