[January 08, 2014]

ILiAD Biotechnologies, Inserm and Inserm Transfert SA, and Institut Pasteur de Lille Enter Scientific Collaboration and Worldwide License Agreements for Vaccine Technology

ILiAD Biotechnologies, LLC (ILiAD), the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) subsidiary, Inserm Transfert SA, and Institut Pasteur de Lille (IPL) today announced the signing of scientific collaboration and worldwide license agreements for live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine technology, including BPZE1, developed by the laboratory of Professor Camille Locht. This license agreement covers patent rights from Institut Pasteur de Lille, Inserm, National University of Singapore¹ and National University of Ireland Maynooth².

Building on today's publication in the journal PLOS One ("A phase I clinical study of a live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine - BPZE1; […]", Jan. 8, 2013, see link), which suggests that BPZE1 is safe in healthy adults and can induce immune responses targeting Bordetella pertussis, ILiAD, Inserm and IPL now intend to optimize and advance the BPZE technology in preparation for future clinical studies.

"Pertussis remains one of the major vaccine-preventable diseases world-wide, despite large global vaccination coverage. This illustrates the shortcomings of current vaccines and highlights the need to develop a totally different vaccine," said Prof. Camille Locht, head of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Lille, supported by Inserm and Institut Pasteur de Lille. Locht, an inventor of the BPZE technology, added, "In the study published in PLOS One, we have now provided proof of concept that a live attenuated nasal vaccine may be an attractive approach towards eradicating this disease. Following the successful outcome of this study, we are very excited to join forces with ILiAD and are confident that this collaboration will have a major impact on this important public health issue."

"Entering into a close partnership with ILiAD, whereby each party provides expertise, experience and resources, represents an innovative approach for Inserm and Institut Pasteur de Lille to efficiently advance this major technology" said Dr. Stéphane Thumelin, Director Business Development, Licensing. "It is noteworthy that the BPZE platform may provide a wide variety of applications in the field of respiratory diseases," added Augustin Godard, EVP, Open Innovation, both at Inserm Transfert.

"Global eradication of pertussis is the primary objective of ILiAD Biotechnologies," said Dr. Keith Rubin, CEO of ILiAD Biotechnologies. "Given the devastating impact of pertussis and the suboptimal performance of current pertussis vaccines, we believe the vaccine technology developed in Professor Locht's laboratory holds enormous potential to prevent disease and save lives."

Financial details of these agreements remain confidential.

About ILiAD Biotechnologies, LLC

ILiAD Biotechnologies (www.iliadbio.om) is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to the prevention and treatment of human disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. The company is developing and acquiring key technologies, working with leading researchers to overcome the limitations of current vaccines, and is focused on validating its proprietary vaccines in human clinical trials. Walter Greenblatt & Associates (www.wgreenblatt.com), an investment bank focused on early stage life science companies, serves as the exclusive financial advisor to ILiAD.

About Inserm Transfert

Founded in 2000, Inserm Transfert SA (www.inserm-transfert.fr/en) is the private subsidiary of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), dedicated to technology transfer (from invention disclosure to industrial partnership). Inserm Transfert also manages European and international research projects, supports large-scale projects in epidemiology and public health. Inserm Transfert runs a 2M€/year proof-of-concept fund. The company also supports entrepreneurs in the biotech sector, in partnership with Inserm Transfert Initiative, a €39.7M life sciences seed investment company.

About Inserm

Founded in 1964, the French National Health and Medical Research Institute (Inserm, www.inserm.fr) is a public science and technology institute, jointly supervised by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Ministry of Health. The mission of its scientists is to study all diseases, from the most common to the most rare, through their work in biological, medical and public health research. With a budget of 840 million euros in 2012, Inserm supports more than 300 laboratories across France. In total, the teams include nearly 13,000 researchers, engineers, technicians and administrative staff, etc. Inserm is a member of the National Alliance for Life and Health Sciences, founded in April 2009 with CNRS, Inserm, the CEA, INRA, INRIA, the IRD, the Pasteur Institute, the Conference of University Presidents - Conférence des Présidents d'Université (CPU) and the Conference of Chairmen of The Regional and University Hospital Centres - Conférence des directeurs généraux de centres hospitaliers régionaux and universitaires. This alliance forms part of the policy to reform the research system by better coordinating the parts played by those involved and by strengthening the position of French research in this field through a concerted plan.

About Institut Pasteur de Lille

The Institut Pasteur de Lille (www.pasteur-lille.fr) is a non-profit private foundation. It was created 120 years ago, was the birthplace of the BCG vaccine at the turn of the twentieth century and now hosts approximately 700 persons devoted to people's health for "a better and longer life". Since its creation, the mission of Institut Pasteur de Lille is to prevent major contemporary diseases by understanding them and their underlying mechanisms, acting directly on their environment and advancing the evolution of human behavior.

Today, in the medical research department, 32 research teams focus on a range of human disease including infectious diseases and immunopathologies, cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes and metabolic diseases, cancer and neuro-degenerative diseases.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

In addition to historical facts or statements of current, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide ILiAD's current expectations or forecasts of future events. These may include statements regarding anticipated development of potential products, interpretation of clinical results, prospects for regulatory approval, outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical industry, levels of industry research and development spending, rapid technological change, risks associated with acquisitions and investments, risks associated directly with BPZE technologies including but not limited to uncertainties of product development, and uncertainties of clinical development, dependence on third parties, competition, protection of patents and proprietary technology, potential for infringement and other statements regarding matters that are not historical fact. Some of these forward looking statements may be identified by use of words in the statements such as "estimate," "intend," or other words and terms of similar meaning. Statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in such forward-looking statements. ILiAD cautions investors not to place reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These statements speak only as of the date of this release and ILiAD undertakes no obligations to update or review these statements, except as may be required by law.

¹ National University of Singapore, please see : www.nus.edu.sg

² University of Ireland Maynooth, please see : http://commercialisation.nuim.ie/

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