Exonhit (Alternext: ALEHT) today announced that it has entered into a research agreement with Pfizer Inc. for the identification of new Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers using Exonhit’s Genome-Wide SpliceArray™ (GWSA) platform.

As part of the agreement, the two companies will jointly conduct a pilot study using Exonhit’s GWSA platform to gain insight on AD molecular markers associated with clinical parameters. More specifically, the purpose of the research work is to seek to identify progression and other biomarkers that could segregate healthy elderly controls, patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and patients with AD. Test samples for the study will be provided by Pfizer from a number of subjects in each of these three groups over a period of time.

“Today’s announcement further demonstrates the interest in the potential of our GWSA discovery platform,” said Loïc Maurel M.D., President of Exonhit’s Management Board. “We are excited to collaborate with Pfizer and we hope that this study will identify new Alzheimer’s biomarkers and hence lead to the potential development of prognostic tests for patients”.

Dr. Aidan Power, Vice President and Head of Pharma Therapeutics Precision Medicine at Pfizer, added: “Pfizer is committed to making a number of investments to evaluate technology platforms with the potential to identify new biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. Our collaboration with ExonHit is one such example of this commitment. The discovery and validation of new AD biomarkers is important for Pfizer’s effort to bring forward new treatment options for Alzheimer’s patients as well as for the development of improved diagnostics.”

Financial details were not disclosed.

About Exonhit’s SpliceArray™ platform

Exonhit’s SpliceArray™ platform is a patented microarray design that incorporates a specific probe configuration, enabling an exhaustive monitoring of RNA splice variants in humans, mice and rats. The Human Genome Wide SpliceArray™ monitors known and predicted alternative RNA splicing events in close to 21,000 human genes and is used in the Company’s biomarker and target discovery process.

About Exonhit

Exonhit (Alternext: ALEHT) is a biotech company, focused on personalized medicine, which develops targeted innovative therapeutic and diagnostic products, in oncology and Alzheimer’s disease. Exonhit has a balanced development strategy with internal development programs and strategic collaborations, in particular with Allergan.

Exonhit is headquartered in Paris, France and has a U.S. subsidiary in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Company is listed on NYSE Alternext in Paris and is part of the NYSE Alternext OSEO innovation index. For more information, please visit http://www.exonhit.com.

Disclaimer

This press release contains elements that are not historical facts including, without limitation, certain statements on future expectations and other forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated.

In addition, Exonhit, its shareholders, and its affiliates, directors, officers, advisors and employees have not verified the accuracy of, and make no representations or warranties in relation to, statistical data or predictions contained in this press release that were taken or derived from third party sources or industry publications, and such statistical data and predictions are used in this press release for information purposes only.

Finally, this press release may be drafted in the French and English languages. In an event of differences between the texts, the English language version shall prevail.

Contacts for Media & Investors
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