ImaginAb Launches Japanese Subsidiary

LOS ANGELES and TOKYO, May 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ImaginAb, Inc. announced today the formal launch of ImaginAb Japan KK, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Los Angeles-based ImaginAb, Inc. Headquartered in Tokyo, ImaginAb Japan KK has been established in order to better meet the commercial needs of several significant clinical development and partnering opportunities for the company. The subsidiary company will be led in an executive capacity by Dr. Shintaro Nishimura, an accomplished leader in the field of imaging in Japan.

Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, co-founder and CEO of ImaginAb commented, "The establishment of a Japanese presence for ImaginAb, including leadership from Dr. Nishimura, is an important milestone for the company.  Japan is a major market for imaging with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with a substantial and mature clinical installation footprint. We see significant prospects for ImaginAb in Japan, both in the clinical setting but also in collaboration with Japanese biopharmaceutical companies, which have made a significant commitment to the use of molecular imaging in drug development."

"ImaginAb Japan KK has the unique potential to address the significant market for PET products here, combining ImaginAb's novel imaging agents and an understanding of the Japanese regulatory and market engagement requirements," stated Dr. Shintaro Nishimura, Executive Director of ImaginAb Japan KK. "For example, we see opportunities for ImaginAb's T-cell imaging products given the recent change in regulatory landscape for regenerative medicine and cell therapies. There is also a major opportunity for ImaginAb's lead program for imaging metastatic prostate cancer because of a growing patient population with distinct diagnostic and staging needs."

ImaginAb's pipeline of imaging agents for prostate, pancreatic and ovarian cancer have the potential to redefine the staging and management of disease that currently face significant challenges in clinical practice. The company's CD3 and CD8 "immunoPET" imaging programs deliver a clearer understanding of the role of immune function and response in a variety of disease settings, including cancer and autoimmune diseases. ImaginAb's internal product pipeline is augmented by approximately 30 target collaborations with global pharmaceutical companies for a variety of cancer, immune / inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease targets.

"We are delighted to have Dr. Nishimura join our team and to further promote ImaginAb's activities in Japan," noted Dr. Behrenbruch. "His knowledge and relationships within the Japanese nuclear medicine and biopharmaceutical landscape is of tremendous benefit to the company and will serve us well as we progress regulatory dialog, partnership opportunities and clinical collaborations in Japan."

Biography – Dr. Shintaro Nishimura
Executive Director ImaginAb Japan KK
Dr. Nishimura has more than 25 years of experience in molecular imaging for new drug discovery research and development. He has directed the scientific and commercial development of key technologies in the molecular imaging space, including new tracers, devices such as automated radiochemistry systems, and numerical tools for PET image analysis. He has directed translational imaging studies to support new drug development both domestically in Japan and internationally. Prior to joining ImaginAb, Dr. Nishimura was Vice President of Bioimaging Research Laboratories at Astellas Pharma Inc., and established cGMP PET/CT/MRI facilities, the first pharmaceutical company in Japan to do so. Dr. Nishimura completed his undergraduate studies and received his Ph.D. at Keio University, and was a research fellow at the University of Michigan Medical School under the direction of Drs. David E. Kuhl and Satoshi Minoshima. He also holds a Visiting Professorship appointment in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tsukuba.

About ImaginAb
ImaginAb is redefining therapeutic management by harnessing the power of antibody technology for in vivo imaging.  The company's proprietary antibody fragment platform yields actionable molecular information to guide treatment decisions in cancer and immunology. ImaginAb also collaborates with select biopharmaceutical partners to design imaging agents as companion diagnostics for therapeutic antibodies. ImaginAb's technology is positioned to deliver on the promise of precision medicine by improving patient outcomes and reducing the cost of healthcare.

For more information, visit www.imaginab.com.

SOURCE ImaginAb, Inc.