Crown Bioscience Announces Collaboration to Develop Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 (CTLA-4) Antibody

(Santa Clara, Calif., April 19, 2017) — Crown Bioscience, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crown Bioscience International (TWSE: ticker 6554) and a global drug discovery and development services company providing translational platforms to advance oncology and metabolic disease research, announces a collaboration to develop a CTLA-4 antibody with Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

As part of the collaboration agreement CrownBio will leverage Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceuticals expertise to support the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) and further clinical development of CrownBio’s proprietary 10B10 antibody.

“The collaboration agreement between CrownBio and Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd is indicative of our focus on innovation, and enhances our portfolio in immuno-oncology,” said Jean-Pierre Wery, CEO of CrownBio. “Moreover, this partnership highlights CrownBio’s commitment to develop therapies that could significantly impact the way cancer is treated.”

10B10 is a humanized anti-CTLA-4 antibody with higher binding affinity and in vitro T cell stimulation than ipilimumab, the first immune checkpoint blockade antibody targeting CTLA-4 to receive FDA approval for the treatment of melanoma. The two antibodies have equivalent activity in T cell activation and tumor growth suppression but a different binding epitope and pharmacokinetic profile.

The goal of the collaboration between CrownBio and Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceutical is to develop a less toxic CTLA-4 antibody and better combination strategies to overcome the immunological adverse effects due to T cell activation and proliferation observed in a minority of patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapies.

“CrownBio is the ideal partner to progress candidate compounds to IND and clinical development thanks to their recognized in vivo pharmacology expertise and the high quality and standards of their operations, representing the perfect match to our knowhow in antibody engineering, cell line construction, and experience in GMP production management, quality control, clinical research, and regulatory affairs.” Said Qiu Jiwan CEO of Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceuticals.

For more information on CrownBio’s commitment to furthering the field of oncology and metabolic disease drug discovery, visit https://www.crownbio.com.

Crown Bioscience is a global drug discovery and development solutions company providing translational platforms to advance oncology and metabolic disease research. With an extensive portfolio of relevant models and predictive tools, Crown Bioscience enables clients to deliver superior clinical candidates.

Jiangsu Qyun Bio-Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd was founded in June 2015 with registered capital of 90 million yuan. The company is focused in the development and production of antibody drugs.

The company’s founding team is composed of both expat and domestic bio-pharmaceutical industry experts who have engaged in multiple successful monoclonal antibody drug development projects. Their expertise covers antibody engineering, cell line construction, process development, quality analysis and development, with extensive and rich experience in GMP production management, quality control, clinical research and regulatory affairs. Qyun adheres to the corporate philosophy of "science, conscience and dignity". Through the discovery and development of innovative antibody products the company’s goal is to alleviate patient suffering while increasing patient dignity.