DiamiR Announces Research Collaboration With Johnson & Johnson Innovation

MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ--(Marketwired - January 11, 2016) - DiamiR, LLC, a developer of innovative minimally invasive diagnostic tests, announced today that it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson Innovation facilitated the agreement.

DiamiR has developed a proprietary targeted approach for early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases based on quantitative analysis of brain-enriched microRNA pairs in plasma. In this collaboration, DiamiR and Janssen Neuroscience teams will jointly investigate how DiamiR technology can be used in the context of clinical development of a therapeutic agent for treatment of neurodegenerative disease indications.

Under the agreement, DiamiR receives research funding based on upfront and specified milestone payments and Janssen has an option to negotiate a license to a companion diagnostic test to be used with certain Janssen proprietary therapeutic products. Financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.

Dr. Kira Sheinerman, CEO of DiamiR, stated, "Janssen is a recognized leader in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, and we are excited to collaborate with the Janssen Neuroscience team. This collaboration builds upon our commitment to develop and commercialize DiamiR's technology to enable early detection and monitoring of neurodegeneration in clinical setting by capturing biomarker signatures of brain health in the blood."

About microRNAs as biomarkers of brain health

microRNAs are a class of small non-coding regulatory RNA molecules, which modulate target gene expression and protein production, and whose levels often change in disease. Certain microRNAs are enriched in different brain regions (e.g. hippocampus, midbrain), cells (e.g. neurons), and cellular compartments (e.g. synapses and neurites). microRNAs can cross the blood-brain barrier and be detected in the bloodstream. Synapse dysfunction and/or loss occur early in the development of many neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, microRNAs enriched in the brain, present in synapses and detectable in plasma can be powerful and patient-friendly biomarkers of brain health.

About DiamiR

DiamiR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DiamiR Biosciences Corp., is a privately held molecular diagnostics company focused on developing minimally invasive tests for early detection and monitoring of Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and other conditions. The proprietary technology is based on quantitative analysis of organ-enriched microRNA signatures in plasma and is being developed for screening, patient stratification as well as disease progression and treatment monitoring. DiamiR collaborates with leading academic and clinical centers and disease foundations.

For more information, please visit the company's website at www.diamirbio.com.

Please Note : This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events. These statements are just predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the results, timing, costs and regulatory review of our studies and clinical trials; the results of studies of our product candidates conducted by others; our ability to obtain future funding on acceptable terms; our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our product candidates; the possible impairment of, or inability to obtain, intellectual property rights; and innovation by our competitors.