TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - Feb 27, 2017) - Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP) (FRANKFURT: HBP) ("Helix" or the "Company"), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, is pleased to announce that it has completed a licence agreement with the National Research Council of Canada ("NRC") for the worldwide right to anti-CEACAM6 antibody 2A3 for oncology applications.

The licence provides Helix the rights to use the antibody in multiple therapeutic modes including cell based therapy such as CAR-T, new DOS47 conjugates, standalone therapeutic and diagnostic applications on CEACAM6 bearing diseases. The antibody is protected by a US patent and other pending patent applications.

"We are delighted to have been granted this licence from the National Research Council of Canada. This asset will help strengthen Helix product offering in both DOS47 and cell based therapy pipelines. This licence also speaks to the excellent partnership we have with NRC and a direct result of the immune-oncology initiative we announced in July 2016." said Dr. Heman Chao, Helix's Chief Scientific Officer.

"Innovative technologies such as CAR-T hold great promise for cancer immunotherapy," said Dr. Lakshmi Krishnan, Program Leader in Human Health Therapeutics at the National Research Council of Canada. "We are pleased that our unique expertise and assets in antibody engineering and immune-oncology are leading to further partnerships with Helix Biopharma and will potentially expand their therapeutic pipeline for cancer."

About Helix BioPharma Corp.
Helix BioPharma Corp. is an immune-oncology company specializing in the field of cancer therapy. The company is actively developing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on its proprietary technologies. Helix's product development initiatives include its novel L-DOS47 new drug candidate and Chimeric Antigen Receptor ("CAR") based cell therapies. Helix is currently listed on the TSX and FRANKFURT under the symbol "HBP".

For information
http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/rd/hht/index.html

Cautionary Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including, without limitation, those relating to the potential of using camelid single domain antibody in making CAR-T for solid tumour, or advancing any of the Company's CAR-T solid tumor candidate toward clinical testing, which may be identified by words including, without limitation, "will", "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations, are intended to provide information about management's current plans and expectations.

Although Helix believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated, no assurance can be given that these expectations will be realized, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include those described in Helix's most recent Annual Information Form, including under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", filed under Helix's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (together, the "Helix Risk Factors"). Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, that the Helix Risk Factors will not cause Helix's actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements qualify all such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements and information are based on the beliefs, assumptions and expectations of Helix's management on the date of this news release, and Helix does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or information should those beliefs, assumptions or expectations, or other circumstances change, except as required by law.