ABLYNX SIGNS EXCLUSIVE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH EDDINGPHARM TO DEVELOP AND COMMERCIALISE ITS ANTI-TNFa NANOBODY IN GREATER CHINA - Seite 2

Mr Ni Xin, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Eddingpharm, added:

"We are delighted that Ablynx has entrusted Eddingpharm to develop and commercialise a second Nanobody in Greater China. This partnership represents another strategic achievement for our Company in our goal to become a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company and demonstrates that Eddingpharm is the partner of choice in China for biotechnology companies around the world. Together with Ablynx, we are committed to bringing this second innovative Nanobody-based medicine to millions of patients in the region."

The rheumatoid arthritis market in China

China is expected to rank #2 in drug sales in 2016, one place behind the US, according to a study performed by Deutsche Bank, with the growth driven by improving living standards, an increased aging population and rising health consciousness.

Data from the business intelligence agency Espicom indicate that the total pharmaceutical market in China is expected to reach $163 billion in 2017, increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5% over the period 2012 to 2017. The RA market in China is expected to be ~1.8% of the total Chinese pharmaceutical market, amounting to ~$2.9bn in 2017.

About Ablynx

Ablynx is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of Nanobodies^®, a novel class of therapeutic proteins based on single-domain antibody fragments, for a range of serious human diseases, including inflammation, haematology, oncology and pulmonary disease. Today, the Company has more than 30 programmes in the pipeline and six Nanobodies at the clinical development stage. Ablynx has on-going research collaborations and significant partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eddingpharm, Merck & Co, Merck Serono and Novartis. The Company is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium.

More information can be found on www.ablynx.com.

About Eddingpharm

Founded in 2001, Eddingpharm is a fast growing specialty pharmaceutical company in the Chinese market, committed to actively introducing quality products into China's pharmaceutical market. The Company focuses on the development and promotion of pharmaceutical products in four therapeutic areas: clinical nutrition, oncology, antibiotics and respiratory system. Eddingpharm has established long-term cooperative relationships with a number of multinational pharmaceutical companies and overseas specialty pharmaceutical companies, and has built up a competitive product portfolio and pipeline in the four major therapeutic areas. Eddingpharm recently established its US affiliate and set up a product development team with R&D capabilities in Los Angeles, CA, USA, to coordinate and communicate with leading global R&D institutions and explore opportunities for introducing innovative pharmaceutical products in China. The Company currently employs over 700 people.