PolyTherics and MacroGenics, Inc. Sign Collaboration Agreement

London, UK, 6th December 2010 PolyTherics Ltd, an innovator in precision engineering of proteins to improve their pharmacokinetic properties, today announced the initiation of a research collaboration with MacroGenics Inc., a leader in next-generation antibody platforms and therapeutics.

PolyTherics has a range of proprietary site-specific PEGylation technologies that can improve the duration of action of a broad range of biotherapeutics. MacroGenics’ proprietary Dual-Affinity Re-Targeting (DART™) technology is a bi-specific antibody platform in which a single recombinant molecule is able to target two different antigens. PolyTherics has already shown that its TheraPEG™ PEGylation technology can extend the half-life of antibody fragments without loss of activity in vitro.

Under the research collaboration agreement with MacroGenics, PolyTherics will apply its site-specific PEGylation technologies to an initial DART protein which will then be evaluated by MacroGenics. MacroGenics has the option to use PolyTherics’ PEGylation technologies for additional DART product candidates in the future. PolyTherics has also granted MacroGenics an option to license the PEGylation technologies to enable further development and commercialization of PEGylated DART proteins.

Dr Keith Powell, Chief Executive Officer of PolyTherics said “We are very excited about working with a leader in the bi-specific antibody fragment space. Our technologies allow for site-specific PEGylation without the need for modification of the protein. We are looking forward to a productive partnership with MacroGenics.”

Dr Scott Koenig, MacroGenics’ President and Chief Executive Officer said “PolyTherics’ unique PEGylation technology appears to be well suited to enhance the pharmacologic properties of MacroGenics’ bi-specific DART proteins, furthering our commitment to produce truly ‘best-in-class’ biotherapeutics. We look forward to collaborating with PolyTherics.”

PolyTherics

PolyTherics is a biopharmaceutical company that applies precision chemistry to develop improved protein and peptide-based drugs. It has received investment of £5.3 million from Imperial Innovations Group plc, Longbow Capital LLP and The Capital Fund.

PolyTherics has developed three proprietary technologies for attaching the polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to any therapeutic peptide or protein in a targeted fashion. PEGylation slows elimination from the body, thereby improving half-life and potentially reducing drug treatment frequency, decreasing side effects and improving patient compliance. PEGylated products derived from PolyTherics’ technologies are more homogeneous than those derived from traditional methods, resulting in reduced complexity of downstream processing, more consistent product quality and cost-effective manufacture. PEGylation is an established method for improving drugs and nine PEGylated products are already approved for therapeutic use worldwide.

For more information, please visit: www.polytherics.co.uk

MacroGenics

MacroGenics is a private, venture-backed biotechnology company that focuses on the discovery, development and delivery to patients of novel biologics for autoimmune disorders, cancer and infectious diseases. Since its founding in 2000, the company has built a fully-integrated set of capabilities in antibody-based product development. The company has generated a proprietary pipeline of innovative product candidates by leveraging its three core technology platforms. These proprietary platforms include: (1) cancer stem-like cells; (2) DART technology, which allows the company to incorporate multiple specificities within a single molecule; and (3) Fc optimization, which enhances antibody-dependent effector functions. The company’s lead program, teplizumab, is an anti-CD3 antibody. Teplizumab is being investigated in Phase 3 trials for the treatment of autoimmune diseases in collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company.

On 26 October 2010 MacroGenics announced a global alliance with Boehringer Ingelheim to discover, develop and commercialize DART™-based antibody therapeutics and, on the same day, a global research collaboration and license agreement with Pfizer.

For more information, please visit: www.macrogenics.com

For more information:

PolyTherics:

Tony Stephenson, Tim Watson College Hill Tel: +44 (0)20 7866 7864 Email: Polytherics@collegehill.com

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