IPATF - ImmunoPrecise and Harbour Antibodies Announce Technology Co-Offering Agreement for Next-Generation Fully-Human Antibody Discovery

ImmunoPrecise and Harbour Antibodies Announce Technology Co-Offering Agreement for Next-Generation Fully-Human Antibody Discovery

Canada NewsWire

VICTORIA, Aug. 30, 2018

Co-offering Agreement combines ImmunoPrecise's advanced hybridoma plus B cell screening and sorting services with Harbour Antibodies' patented H2L2 transgenic mouse platform

VICTORIA, Aug. 30, 2018 /CNW/ - IMMUNOPRECISE ANTIBODIES LTD. (the "Company" or "IPA") (TSX VENTURE: IPA)(OTC PINK: IPATF) ImmunoPrecise Antibodies and Harbour Antibodies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Harbour BioMed, announced today that they have entered into an agreement to combine ImmunoPrecise's antibody discovery services with Harbour's H2L2, fully human transgenic mouse platform (Harbour Miceâ„¢), offering an industry-leading discovery solution to enable the generation of diverse panels of fully-human therapeutic antibodies. The combined offering eliminates the need for antibody humanization through the use of Harbour Miceâ„¢, and benefits from ImmunoPrecise's full suite of antibody discovery capabilities, spanning antigen design and immunization through discovery, characterization, and lead selection. ImmunoPrecise was selected as a designated CRO to provide its full-service antibody discovery services under the Co-Offering Agreement utilizing the Harbour Miceâ„¢.

"Harbour's patented H2L2, fully human transgenic mouse platform has been used globally in many multinational pharma, biotech, non-profit organization and academia, and we are pleased to partner with ImmunoPrecise to facilitate easy access to H2L2 Harbour Miceâ„¢ and accelerate therapeutic antibody discovery in organizations that have not yet utilized our technology platform", said Dr. Jingsong Wang, CEO of Harbour BioMed.

ImmunoPrecise is a full-service discovery antibody CRO that provides a globally-operating, comprehensive platform of therapeutic discovery offerings from target selection, on-site animal access, Rapid Prime Immunization, advanced hybridoma discovery, B-cell screening and sorting, antibody characterization, as well as in vitro and in vivo analyses. ImmunoPrecise's innovative technologies will allow for antibody screening from Harbour's H2L2 transgenic mouse platform and are aimed at providing increased antibody diversity within the mouse repertoire, as well as faster, deeper antibody screening compared to traditional technologies alone.

Harbour's patented H2L2 fully human transgenic mouse platform provides antibody generation through a normal and natural process in vivo, allowing the powerful platform to generate affinity matured, fully human and highly diversified antibody repertoire with excellent solubility and developability. Over the past few years, the Harbour Miceâ„¢ have emerged as industry leading with over 40 licensees including multinational pharma, biotech, non-profit organizations and academia.

Dr. Jennifer Bath, CEO and President of Immunoprecise commented: "Immunoprecise is happy to partner with Harbour Antibodies in a combined effort to bring global and innovative offerings to today's researchers, with the common goal of aiding clients in developing successful, therapeutic antibodies for the patients of tomorrow."

About Harbour Antibodies BV

Harbour Antibodies is a fully owned subsidiary of Harbour BioMed, a global biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing innovative therapeutics for oncology and immunological diseases (www.harbourbiomed.com). Harbour Antibodies owns two strains of transgenic mice (Harbour Miceâ„¢) for generating human therapeutic antibodies: (1) H2L2 - mice that generate antibodies comprised of two heavy chains and two light chains with fully human variable regions; and (2) HCAb - mice that generate novel "heavy chain only" antibodies. The HCAb mice enable the development of antibody fragment-based therapeutics such as nanobodies, bi-specific antibodies and CAR-T with favorable drug-like properties. For additional information, please visit http://harbourantibodies.com

About ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

ImmunoPrecise is a full-service, therapeutic antibody discovery company focused on the next generation of antibody discovery, to deliver the most therapeutically-relevant antibodies, in a shorter period of time, with the highest probability of succeeding to clinical trials.

ImmunoPrecise operates from state-of-the-art laboratory facilities located at the Vancouver Island Technology Park in Victoria, British Columbia, in collaboration with its wholly-owned subsidiary operations at U-Protein Express B.V., in the Life Science Incubator, Utrecht, and ModiQuest Research, Oss, both in the Netherlands.

The services offered to clients include antibody discovery in wild-type and transgenic mouse and rat models, custom phage display libraries, and rabbit monoclonal antibodies, all against a broad spectrum of antigens. The Company also offers B-cell screening and sorting services that may decrease discovery timelines and enhance the probability of finding a therapeutic antibody of interest. In addition, the Company provides a broad range of additional services related to its biotherapeutic discovery platforms including immunologically-based assays, recombinant protein manufacturing, humanization, optimization, phage display, stable cell line development, and advanced solutions to challenges faced by clients in antibody-related research and development.  Cryopreservation services are provided for the storage of valuable biological materials including hybridoma clones, plasmid constructs, and cell lines. The antibodies produced by ImmunoPrecise target a wide variety of therapeutic, diagnostic and research applications.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains statements that, to the extent they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "believe", "intend" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by ImmunoPrecise in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to ImmunoPrecise's expectations and predictions is subject to any number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Many factors could cause ImmunoPrecise's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such factors include, among other things, actual revenues and earnings for IPA being lower than anticipated, and those risks and uncertainties described in ImmunoPrecise's annual management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017 which can be accessed at www.sedar.com. The "forward-looking statements" contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless required by applicable law, ImmunoPrecise undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

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