Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK, 22 April 2020 - 4basebio AG (Frankfurt: 4BSB; ISIN: DE000A2YN801; Prime Standard) announced today its support to develop a faster and more sensitive test for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) that belongs to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, will fund a research program that is aimed to develop a new way of SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis based on Phi29 DNA polymerase amplification. 4basebio will supply the enzymes and technical support within this project.

The suggested novel method is expected to have important advantages with respect to current PCR-based detection methods for SARS-CoV-2 infection:

- no reverse transcription required

- performable at room temperature, bypassing the need for thermal cyclers

- faster and cheaper

- potentially increased sensitivity

The work schedule that is planned to be performed within 2 months will include the assay setup and validation, assay calibration and confirmation in clinical samples.

The goal is to pave the way to an industrially scalable test, boosting the capacity of early SARS-CoV-2 detection. The test should have a priority orientation towards the diagnosis of the early stages of infection in humans and therefore allowing the prediction of the severity for the purpose of healthcare stratification.

The test should be ultimately performed at primary assistance centers with minimal equipment, and even constitute the basis for portable or disposable detection devices. Finally, in a longer term, it is worth noting that a similar principle could be also applied to the detection of other viral infections, and, as a matter of fact, of any nucleic acid target.

The research project will be overseen by two principal investigators: Felipe Cortés Ledesma from the Spanish National Cancer Research Center () and Luis Blanco Dávila who works at the "Severo Ochoa" Molecular Biology Center (). Additional support will come from Miguel de Vega from the "Severo Ochoa" Molecular Biology Center, who developed QualiPhi, an improved version of Phi29 DNA polymerase, patented by the Spanish National Research Council (/en/csic) and licensed to 4basebio. This enzyme will be provided by 4basebio and tested in the project.

About 4base bio:
4basebio AG, formerly operating under the name of Expedeon AG, is an enabler of exciting advances in medical science and patient care. After divestment of its immunology and proteomics products portfolio on January 1 2020, the Company changed its name to 4basebio AG reflecting the enhanced focus on technologies and products centered around DNA. The Company is focussing on DNA manufacturing to supply DNA products for therapeutic and other uses requiring large amounts of high-purity DNA, such as the fast-growing market of novel gene therapies and gene vaccines. Besides DNA manufacturing, 4basebio aims at providing research and diagnostic products based on its RNA reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase and DNA primase enzymes, addressing the research tools and diagnostic products markets.
4basebio AG has offices in Germany, Spain, UK, and the US. The Company is listed on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Ticker: 4BSB; ISIN: DE000A2YN801).
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For further information, please contact:

4basebio AG
Dr. Robert Mayer
Manager Investor Relations
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Email:
Investors' information: investors.4basebio.com

MC Services AG (Investor Relations and International Media Relations)
Julia Hofmann
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