MediGene AG: Trianta Receives BMBF (Federal Ministry Of Education And Research) Grant For Tabs Immunotherapy As Part Of The "M4 Leading-Edge Cluster Initiative"

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Martinsried/Munich, 06 June, 2014. Medigene AG (MDG1, Frankfurt, Prime Standard) announces that its subsidiary Trianta Immunotherapies GmbH will receive public funding for the development of its immunotherapy platform TABs (T-cell-specific AntiBodies) for the treatment of various types of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The grant is awarded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung = BMBF) within the scope of the "m4 - Personalized Medicine and Targeted Therapies: a new Dimension of Drug Development" Munich Leading-Edge Cluster initiative.

The sponsored project totalling €380 k intends to provide evidence of the elimination of pathogenic T cells in T-cell leukemia and autoimmune diseases, applying in-vivo and in-vitro methods with T-cell receptor-specific monoclonal antibodies. The project is financed by Medigene (60%) as well as the BMBF grant (40%).

Prof Dolores J. Schendel, Chief Scientific Officer of Medigene, states: "The funding of our TABs therapy platform by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research validates the research work we are doing, and reduces our expenses in the field of monoclonal antibodies. We very much appreciate this and continue to drive forward the preclinical development of this cutting-edge immunotherapy."

About Anti-TCR monoclonal antibodies (TABs): The TABs immunotherapy platform serves to generate monoclonal antibodies which recognise different T cells based on their T cell receptors (TABs = T cell-specific antibodies). These TABs are intended to remove unwanted cells from the body in order to treat T cell-induced diseases such as T cell leukaemia or various autoimmune diseases. This platform has helped to produce and characterise monoclonal antibodies which are able to distinguish between different T cell receptors. Proof of technology was established in preclinical experiments.

About Trianta: Based on more than 15 years of extensive research in the field of immunotherapy, Trianta Immunotherapies GmbH was founded late 2013 as a spin-off of the Helmholtz Zentrum München and was acquired by Medigene as a 100% subsidiary in January 2014. Trianta pursues three complementary immunotherapeutic strategies to target various tumour types and stages: next generation antigen-tailored dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, T cell receptor (TCR)-based adoptive cell therapy and T cell-targeted antibodies (TABs). Each one is focused on T cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a pivotal role in immunity.

Medigene AG is a publicly listed (Frankfurt: MDG1, prime standard) biotechnology company headquartered in Martinsried near Munich, Germany. Medigene concentrates on the development of personalized T cell immunotherapies with focus on haematological malignancies. Medigene is the first German biotech company to have revenues from a marketed product, which is distributed by commercial partners. Medigene has various drug candidates in clinical development and it is developing highly innovative treatment platforms. For more information, please visit www.medigene.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements representing the opinion of Medigene as of the date of this release. The actual results achieved by Medigene may differ significantly from the forward-looking statements made herein. Medigene is not bound to update any of these forward-looking statements. Medigene® EndoTAG® and Veregen® are registered trademarks of Medigene AG. These trademarks may be owned or licensed in select locations only.

Contact Medigene
Julia Hofmann, Claudia Burmester
Tel.: +49 - 89 - 20 00 33 - 33 01
Email: investor@medigene.com

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