Histogenics Corporation Announces Receipt of $10M Up-front Payment for Japanese Neocart Agreement

 Histogenics Corporation (Histogenics) (Nasdaq:HSGX), a leader in the development of restorative cell therapies that may offer rapid-onset pain relief and restored function, announced that it has received the $10 million up-front payment from Medinet Co, Ltd (MEDINET), under the previously announced agreement for the development and commercialization of NeoCart® for the Japanese market.  Per the terms of the agreement, the up-front payment was due within ten days of entering into the agreement.  Histogenics and MEDINET announced entering into the agreement in December 2017, which included up to $87 million in total milestones and tiered royalties on sales, and a goal of commercializing NeoCart in Japan in 2021, if approved.

"Our partnership with MEDINET for NeoCart is off to a strong start, and we’re pleased to receive the initial $10 million payment.  The clinical and operations teams at both companies have initiated work to prepare for the upcoming confirmatory Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan," stated Adam Gridley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Histogenics.  "Histogenics is also rapidly evaluating partnerships in other potential regions for NeoCart as part of our strategy to leverage our robust restorative cell therapy platform globally."

About Histogenics Corporation

Histogenics (Nasdaq:HSGX) is a leader in the development of restorative cell therapies that may offer rapid-onset pain relief and restored function.  Histogenics’ lead investigational product, NeoCart, is designed to rebuild a patient’s own knee cartilage to treat pain at the source and potentially prevent a patient’s progression to osteoarthritis.  NeoCart is one of the most rigorously studied restorative cell therapies for orthopedic use.  Histogenics recently completed enrollment of its NeoCart Phase 3 clinical trial and expects to report top-line, one-year superiority data in the third quarter of 2018.  NeoCart is designed to perform like articular hyaline cartilage at the time of treatment, and as a result, may provide patients with more rapid pain relief and accelerated recovery as compared to the current standard of care. Histogenics’ technology platform has the potential to be used for a broad range of additional restorative cell therapy indications.  For more information on Histogenics and NeoCart, please visit www.histogenics.com.

About MEDINET Co., Ltd.

MEDINET is a pioneering leader in the development and commercialization of cancer immuno-cell therapies.  MEDINET is also rigorously preparing to enter into the regenerative medical product market to leverage its long clinical and translational medicine history responding to the expected aging of the population.  MEDINET went public in October, 2003 on the MOTHERS, Tokyo Stock Exchange.  For more information, visit http://www.medinet-inc.co.jp/english/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Various statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" under the securities laws.  Words such as, but not limited to, "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "expect," "estimate," "design," "goal," "intend," "may," "might," "objective," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "likely," "should," "will," and "would," or the negative of these terms and similar expressions or words, identify forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks, changes in circumstances, assumptions and uncertainties.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Histogenics’ forward-looking statements include, among others:  the timing and success of Histogenics’ NeoCart Phase 3 clinical trial, including, without limitation, possible delays in generating the data from the clinical trial; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of NeoCart or any product candidates, and the labeling for any approved products; NeoCart’s regulation as a Regenerative Medical Product; the market size and potential patient population in Japan; the scope, progress, expansion, and costs of developing and commercializing Histogenics’ product candidates; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval regarding the comparability of critical NeoCart raw materials following our technology transfer and manufacturing location transition; the size and growth of the potential markets for Histogenics’ product candidates and the ability to serve those markets; Histogenics’ expectations regarding its expenses and revenue; and other factors that are described in the "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Histogenics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.  Additional factors may be set forth in those sections of Histogenics’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, to be filed with the SEC in the first quarter of 2018.  In addition to the risks described above and in Histogenics’ annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC, other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect Histogenics’ results.

There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by Histogenics will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Histogenics.  Therefore, no assurance can be given that the outcomes stated in such forward-looking statements and estimates will be achieved.

All written and verbal forward-looking statements attributable to Histogenics or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein.  Histogenics cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements Histogenics makes or that are made on its behalf.  The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Histogenics undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.