AMOEBA (EPA:ALMIB) - AMOEBA PUBLISHES A NEW SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN THE PATHOGENS JOURNAL

Transparency directive : regulatory news

05/06/2020 17:45

PRESS RELEASE

    AMOEBA PUBLISHES A NEW SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN THE PATHOGENS JOURNAL

Chassieu (France), june 05, 2020 - AMOÉBA (FR0011051598 - AMEBA), producer of
a biological biocide, capable of eliminating bacterial risk in water and human
wounds, and a biocontrol product for plant protection, still in the testing
phase, announces the publication of a major new scientific paper
(https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/9/6/447/pdf). This work, jointly carried out by
the Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon and Amoéba, was published in
the special issue of Pathogens, a journal of the MDPI group, entitled
"Legionella Contamination in Water Environment". It provides additional proof
of the harmlessness of Willaertia magna C2c Maky when used to fight the
legionellosis risk.

A first article published in 2019 (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54580-6) showed that
the Willaertia magna C2c Maky amoeba does not present any toxicity to human
cells. This new scientific article shows that, in addition to being safe,
Willaertia magna C2c Maky does not allow legionellae to become more virulent,
unlike to what happens in the Acanthamoeba castellanii Douglas amoeba. Indeed,
the expression of the virulence genes of the legionellae does not increase, and
even tends to decrease by a factor of 2, after 3 days of presence of the
legionellae in Willaertia magna C2c Maky, whereas it increases significantly
and very strongly, by a factor of 9, in the legionellae present in Acanthamoeba
castellanii Douglas. This study therefore confirms that Willaertia magna C2c
Maky has a unique behaviour, and demonstrates the safety of the amoeba when
used as a natural biocide in cooling tower water.

"We were appointed to carry out this study, not for our expertise in
microbiology, but for our expertise in the indisputable method of
quantification that was used to measure the level of gene expression. When we
observe how individual variations of several genes involved in the same
function (here, virulence) evolve, it is often difficult to conclude, because
of strong variations for some genes, and weak variations for others, sometimes
even with opposite directions, either upwards or downwards. In order to be able
to draw a clear, unequivocal conclusion, we have developed for this study a
virulence index that integrates all individual variations. The results obtained
allow us to conclude indisputably that legionellae do not "react" to being
present in Willaertia magna C2c Maky, keeping the expression of their virulence
genes at a low level, unlike legionellae present in other amoebae, such as
Acanthamoeba castellanii Douglas, which see this expression explode. says Dr
Laurent BEZIN, Deputy Director of the Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre and
co-leader of the team behind these results.

"This 4th paper shows once again that the Willaertia magna C2c Maky amoeba is a
very good candidate for use as a biocidal agent. We are continuing our R&D
operations, the results of which will also be the subject of new publications.
"says Sandrine DEMANECHE, scientific manager of Amoéba.

About AMOEBA:

Amoéba's ambition is to become a major player in the treatment of bacterial
risk in the fields of water, healthcare and plant protection. Our biological
solution is an alternative to chemical products widely used today. Amoéba is
currently focusing on the market of industrial cooling towers estimated at
EUR1.7Bn (1) on a global chemical biocide market for water treatment, evaluated
at EUR21Bn (2) and on the biocontrol market for plant protection estimated
globally at EUR1.6Bn (4). In the future, the Company is looking at developing
new applications such as chronic wound care, estimated at EUR 751 million (3)
in the USA. Sales of associated products with healthcare, biocides and crop
protection are subject to the Company being granted local regulatory market
authorizations. The Company is currently in a trial phase for biocidal and
plant protection applications and does not market any products.

Created in 2010, based in Chassieu (Lyon, France) with a subsidiary in Canada
and in the United States, Amoéba is quoted on the compartment C of Euronext
Paris. The Company is a member of the BPIfrance Excellence network and is
eligible for the PEA-PME SME equity savings plan setup. More information on
www.amoeba-biocide.com.

(1) : Amoéba data combined from sources: DRIRE 2013, Eurostat, ARHIA 2013
(2) : Sources combined by Amoéba from water treaters, Freedonia, Eurostat et
      MarketsandMarkets
(3) : BCC Research, "Markets for Advanced Wound Management Technologies,"
      Wellesley, MA, 2017
(4) : Biopesticides Worldwide Market 2013, CPL, Wallingford, UK

Contacts:

Amoéba
Valérie FILIATRE
General Manager
+33 (0)4 26 69 16 00
valerie.filiatre@amoeba-biocide.com

Investors and Media Relations
Grégory BOSSON / Mathieu CALLEUX
Agence Calyptus
+33(0)1 53 65 37 90
gregory.bosson@calyptus.net

Disclaimer
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning
AMOEBA which are based on its own assumptions and hypothesis and on information
that are available to us. However, AMOEBA gives no assurance that the estimates
contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which estimates
are subject to numerous risks including the risks set forth in the Universal
Registration Document of AMOEBA filed with the French Financial Markets
Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) on April 30, 2020 under number
D20-0416 (a copy of which is available on www.amoeba-biocide.com). The forward-
looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks
not yet known to AMOEBA or not currently considered material by AMOEBA. The
occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause actual results, financial
conditions, performance or achievements of AMOEBA to be materially different
from such forward-looking statements.

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AMOEBA (EPA:ALMIB) - AMOEBA PUBLISHES A NEW SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN THE PATHOGENS JOURNAL

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