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Polyphor achieves milestone and extends R&D collaboration

Allschwil, Switzerland, December 07, 2016. Polyphor Ltd, announces today the achievement of a pre-clinical milestone and the extension of its R&D collaboration with Novartis triggering an undisclosed milestone payment. In this longstanding collaboration Polyphor applies its macrocycle platform to challenging targets selected by Novartis.

The parties will now enter into the lead optimization phase and work together towards the nomination of pre-clinical development drug candidates. Polyphor will apply its macrocycle medicinal chemistry expertise while Novartis will be responsible for pre-clinical and clinical development, and commercialization.

Dr. Steffen Weinbrenner, Head Alliance Management: "Achieving this milestone on a very challenging target, and the extension of our fruitful and longstanding collaboration with Novartis, underpins the power of Polyphor's proprietary macrocycle platform and our excellent working relationship. By applying this platform, Polyphor provides its partners access to its macrocycle technology and optimization engine, allowing for the joint development of innovative macrocycle drugs with strong patent protection."

About Polyphor:
Polyphor is a privately held, Swiss Pharmaceutical Company focused on the development of macrocycle drugs that address antibiotic resistances and rare pulmonary diseases. The company's lead drug candidates include:

- Murepavadin (POL7080, in Phase II), a highly specific antibiotic with new mechanisms of action to treat Pseudomonas infections;

- POL6014 (Phase Ib), an inhaled inhibitor of neutrophil elastase for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and other lung diseases

- Balixafortide (POL6326, Phase Ib), a CXCR4 antagonist, for combination treatments in oncology

In addition, Polyphor is developing a new class of innovative broad spectrum antibiotics to address infections caused by difficult-to-treat Gram-negative pathogens - one of the most pressing emerging medical needs.

Polyphor leverages its proprietary macrocycle technology platform to efficiently develop its own product portfolio and to pursue licensing and collaboration opportunities with industry partners. It has collaborative partnerships with Boehringer Ingelheim, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Taisho and Novartis.