VICTORIA, Aug. 3, 2017 /CNW/ - IMMUNOPRECISE ANTIBODIES (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: IPA)(OTC PINK: IPATF) is pleased to announce that it has completed significant steps that enhance its ability to deliver humanized monoclonal antibodies to customers. 

ImmunoPrecise has conducted research and development activities using transgenic mice and rats to successfully deliver humanized monoclonal antibodies to drug development companies this past quarter.  Importantly, these projects served to demonstrate the value of applying the Company's proprietary Rapid Prime methodology in transgenic animals.

"We are very pleased with the success of our Rapid Prime methodology in these animals," said Teri Otto, Head of Laboratory Services at ImmunoPrecise.  "We delivered a large number of high-quality clones to our customers in a short time frame.  It is extremely important to emphasize that our consistent high quality and superior speed is crucial to the clientele we serve and one of the keys to unlocking new and repeat business."

In addition, ImmunoPrecise has begun collaborating with companies that provide next generation sequencing.  Next generation sequencing allows scientists to take a rabbit monoclonal antibody generated by ImmunoPrecise, use powerful bioinformatics to compare its sequence to a human antibody reference library, and then genetically engineer it to be more human-like.  ImmunoPrecise's goal is to continue working with companies providing humanizing platforms based on transgenic animals as well as collaborate with companies applying bioinformatics in humanization. These strategies will allow ImmunoPrecise to offer clients a broad choice of potential humanizing solutions.

Thomas D'Orazio, President and CEO of ImmunoPrecise stated, "The introduction of these new technologies further expands ImmunoPrecise's commercial and research and development activities in the humanizing space which is one of the Company's key strategic growth initiatives,"  Mr. D'Orazio explained. "The major advantage is that there are fewer contract research organizations (CROs) able to humanize antibodies due to intellectual property that limits market entry.  Working with our customers and being able to offer more project specific solutions strengthens our relationships and further amplifies our capability to increase sales."

Humanizing antibodies is a key step in developing monoclonal antibodies for human therapeutic use.  Over 50% of all new drug therapies in development are antibody based. Leading pharmaceutical companies including Genentech, Bayer AG, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi, F. Hoffman-La Roche, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, NovartisAG and Abbie and others have developed or are developing antibody based drug therapies including several of the top selling drugs in history. Transparency Market Research recently released a market study reporting that the monoclonal antibody therapeutic market will be worth $245 billion by 2024 up from $86.7 billion in 2015, representing a CAGR of 13.5%.  Monoclonal antibodies are engineered to attach to specific proteins called antigens.  They can work in a variety ways such as triggering an immune response, disrupting essential cell signaling, or used as conjugates that carry drugs directly to the diseased cells.  Monoclonal antibodies have become a major source of blockbuster drugs.  Examples include Humira (world's top selling pharmaceutical product used for pain relief, $13 billion in 2014 global sales) and Avastin (an antibody based cancer drug that sold over $7.3 Billion in 2015).

About ImmunoPrecise Antibodies

ImmunoPrecise Antibodies provides its customers with custom antibody engineering and production services to support their research and development efforts. 

Antibodies are naturally occurring proteins capable of binding to specific target molecules, or antigens. They have been used very widely in research assays, diagnostics, purification and therapeutics. The target market for the Company's antibody and peptide products includes organizations in the academic, biological, diagnostic and pharmaceutical fields. This is a large growing market that is expected to double in the next ten years.

The Company operates from state of the art laboratory facilities located at the Vancouver Island Technology Park in Victoria, British Columbia which houses its tissue culture and molecular facilities as well as an animal care unit, and is a member of the Canadian Council for Animal Care.

The services offered to customers include the development of mouse and rat monoclonal and rabbit recombinant monoclonal antibodies against a wide spectrum of antigens, as well as polyclonal antibodies, immunologically based assays, and solutions to challenges faced by clients in antibody related research and development.  In addition, cryopreservation services are provided for the storage of valuable biological materials including hybridoma clones, plasmid constructs, and cell lines. The antibodies produced by the Company target a wide variety of environmental, diagnostic and research applications.

The Company employs an experienced group of R&D scientists, and over the last 25 years its investments in research have led to the creation of innovative and proprietary technologies and methods that significantly improve the speed and efficiency of monoclonal and polyclonal antibody production.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains statements that, to the extent they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. ImmunoPrecise uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "believe", "intend" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by ImmunoPrecise in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to ImmunoPrecise's expectations and predictions is subject to any number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties.  Many factors could cause ImmunoPrecise's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Such factors include, among other things, the Company closing its acquisition of U-Protein, completing the Financing, and such risks and uncertainties described in the Company's Filing Statement dated December 13, 2016 which can be accessed at www.sedar.com. The "forward-looking statements" contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

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