TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Antibe Therapeutics Inc. ("Antibe" or the “Company”) (TSXV: ATE, OTCQX: ATBPF) is pleased to announce today that it has signed an exclusive licensing and distribution agreement with Laboratories Acbel SA (“Acbel”) for ATB-346 in Greece, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Algeria and Jordan. Acbel is a pharmaceutical company with a strong sales and distribution presence in the Balkan region.

Antibe will receive an upfront, non-dilutive payment of $1.1 million (€800,000), and is entitled to receive a 5% royalty on net sales of ATB-346 in these countries. The agreement has a 30-year term with contemplated renewals thereafter. Acbel, through its affiliates and partners, is the largest seller of naproxen in this region, which represents approximately 1% of the global market for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (“NSAIDs”). The global market for NSAIDs is in excess of US$12 billion (Evaluate Pharma).

Antibe’s CEO, Dan Legault, commented, “We are delighted to have concluded this agreement with Acbel. By delivering on our regional licensing strategy, Antibe has obtained non-dilutive funds that can be immediately deployed for our ongoing clinical trials. Of perhaps greater importance, this agreement represents an important validation of our drug development program, and its market value, by a leading regional pharmaceutical company well versed in the NSAID market.”

ATB-346 is a novel anti-inflammatory drug, designed to spare the gastrointestinal tract of the ulcers and bleeding normally associated with NSAIDs. In a recent Phase 2 clinical trial, ATB-346 was found to be highly effective in reducing the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Antibe will now initiate two larger Phase 2 double-blind trials: a placebo-controlled dose-ranging study to determine the go-to-market dose, and an active comparator trial to demonstrate superior GI safety.

Antibe also has two other therapeutic candidates in development: ATB-352 and ATB-340. ATB-352 is a non-addictive analgesic for treating severe acute pain and ATB-340 is a GI-safe derivative of aspirin. Antibe intends to leverage data across its programs to secure licensing agreements whenever possible.

About Antibe Therapeutics Inc.

Antibe develops safer medicines for pain and inflammation. Antibe’s technology involves linking a hydrogen sulfide-releasing molecule to an existing drug to produce a patented, improved medicine. Antibe’s lead drug ATB-346 targets the global need for a safer, non-addictive drug for chronic pain and inflammation. ATB-352, the second drug in Antibe’s pipeline, targets the urgent global need for a non-addictive analgesic for treating severe acute pain, while ATB-340 is a GI-safe derivative of aspirin. www.antibethera.com.

Antibe’s subsidiary, Citagenix Inc. (“Citagenix”), is a leader in the sales and marketing of tissue regenerative products servicing the orthopedic and dental marketplaces. Since its inception in 1997, Citagenix has become an important source of knowledge and experience for bone regeneration in the Canadian medical device industry. Citagenix is active in 15 countries, operating in Canada through its direct sales teams, and internationally via a network of distributor partnerships. www.citagenix.com.

Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, the proposed licensing and development of drugs. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "propose" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this news release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company’s inability to secure additional financing and licensing arrangements on reasonable terms, or at all, its ability to execute its business strategy and successfully compete in the market, and risks associated with drug and medical device development generally. Antibe Therapeutics Inc. assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

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