Licensed product candidate update

Abzena plc

Licensed product candidate update

Cambridge, UK, 21 October 2016 - Abzena plc (AIM: ABZA, 'Abzena'), a life sciences group providing services and technologies enabling the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical products, notes that Gilead Sciences, Inc. has announced top line Phase II clinical study results of its product, GS-4997 (selonsertib) in combination with the investigational monoclonal antibody, simtuzumab (SIM) or SIM alone, in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Simtuzumab is one of twelve products created using Abzena's Composite Human Antibody™ technology that its partners are progressing in clinical development. Gilead has made no statement regarding any other clinical studies of simtuzumab or future development plans for this antibody.

Further information about Abzena's portfolio of Composite Human Antibodies™ - 'Abzena Inside' products - in clinical development, and the range of Abzena's services and technologies, can be found on the website: www.abzena.com.

Gilead's full announcement can be found here: http://www.gilead.com/news/press-releases/2016/10/gilead-announces-topline-phase-2-results-for-gs4997-selonsertib-in-nonalcoholic-steatohepatitis-nash-pulmonary-arterial-hypertension-pah-and-diabetic-kidney-disease-dkd.

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About Abzena

Abzena provides proprietary technologies and complementary services in the UK and US to enable the development and manufacture of biopharmaceutical products. The development of biopharmaceuticals is a growing area and requires specialist technology and expertise.

The Group comprises Antitope, PacificGMP, PolyTherics and TCRS, which between them have built a global customer base including the majority of the top 20 biopharmaceutical companies as well as large and small biotech companies and academic groups.

Antitope provides immunogenicity assessment, protein engineering to create humanized antibodies and deimmunised therapeutic proteins, and cell line development for manufacture.

PacificGMP provides contract process development and manufacture of biopharmaceuticals, including monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, vaccines, and gene therapy and cell therapy products, for preclinical and clinical studies.

PolyTherics specializes in proprietary site-specific conjugation technologies for antibody drug conjugate development and solutions for optimizing the therapeutic properties of biopharmaceuticals.

TCRS is a contract chemistry and bioconjugation business focused on ADCs and is establishing the capability to manufacture ADCs to GMP standards.

Abzena (AIM: ABZA) has its main operations in Cambridge, UK, San Diego, CA, US and Bristol, Pennsylvania, US . For more information, please see www.abzena.com.