• In-licensed exclusive worldwide rights for IONIS-RHO-2.5Rx, now QR-1123, from Ionis Pharmaceuticals. QR-1123 is a first-in-class investigational oligonucleotide (gapmer) for the treatment of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), a rare inherited form of blindness with no approved therapy
  ○  A first in human Phase 1/2 clinical trial in adRP patients is expected to start in 2019
• Received a conditional waiver of the €5 million Innovation credit that was awarded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs for the Company's cystic fibrosis program. Consequently, the total repayment, including principal and interest, of €7.2 million (scheduled in three annual payments) has been waived and will be reviewed annually.
• Delivered presentations at European Oligonucleotide and Peptide Therapeutics (EuroTIDES) conference. Abstract titles:
  ○  Childhood Blindness due to a Photoreceptor Cilium Defect Treated with an Intravitreal Antisense Oligonucleotide (QR-110)
  ○  Evaluating the impact of sterilization on oligonucleotide based drug products

QR-110 is a first-in-class investigational RNA-based oligonucleotide designed to address the underlying cause of Leber's congenital amaurosis 10 due to the p.Cys998X mutation (also known as the c.2991+1655A>G mutation) in the CEP290 gene. The p.Cys998X mutation is a substitution of one nucleotide in the pre-mRNA that leads to aberrant splicing of the mRNA and non-functional CEP290 protein. QR-110 is designed to restore normal (wild-type) CEP290 mRNA leading to the production of normal CEP290 protein by binding to the mutated location in the pre-mRNA causing normal splicing of the pre-mRNA. QR-110 is intended to be administered through intravitreal injections in the eye and has been granted orphan drug designation in the United States and the European Union and received fast-track designation by the FDA.

QR-421a is a first-in-class investigational RNA-based oligonucleotide designed to address the underlying cause of vision loss in Usher syndrome 2A due to mutations in exon 13 of the USH2A gene. Mutations in this exon can cause loss of functional usherin protein that causes the disease. QR-421a is designed to exclude the genetic defect from the RNA in the eye, such that it leads to the expression of a shortened but functional protein, thereby modifying the underlying disease. QR-421a has received orphan drug designation in the United States and the European Union.

QR-1123 is a first-in-class investigational oligonucleotide (gapmer) that was developed by Ionis Pharmaceuticals using Ionis' proprietary antisense technology for the treatment of adRP due to the P23H mutation in the RHO gene. The therapy aims to inhibit the formation of the mutated toxic version of the rhodopsin protein by specifically binding the mutated RHO mRNA. Binding of QR-1123 causes allele specific knockdown of the mutated mRNA by a mechanism called RNase H mediated cleavage without affecting the normal RHO mRNA. QR-1123 is intended to be administered through intravitreal injections in the eye.

ProQR is pioneering a next-generation RNA technology called Axiomer^®, which could potentially yield a new class of medicines for genetic diseases. Axiomer^® "Editing Oligonucleotides", or EONs, mediate single nucleotide changes to RNA in a highly specific and targeted way using molecular machinery that is present in human cells. The Axiomer^® EONs are designed to recruit an endogenously expressed RNA editing system called ADAR, which it can direct to the change of an Adenosine (A) to an Inosine (I) in the RNA – an Inosine is translated as a Guanosine (G).

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "look forward to", "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding QR-110 and the clinical development and the therapeutic potential thereof, statements regarding our pipeline of programs targeting inherited retinal dystrophies, statements regarding QR-421a, and the clinical development and the therapeutic potential thereof,  statements regarding QR-1123 and the clinical development and therapeutic potential thereof, and statements regarding our Axiomer^® Technology Platform and the preclinical development and therapeutic potential thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information available to management only as of the date of this press release. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties and other factors in our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including certain sections of our annual report filed on Form 20-F. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future, except as required by law.