DSM and Crucell Announce Expansion of PERCIVIA PER.C6® Biopharmaceutical Joint Venture
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
Heerlen/Leiden, the Netherlands (September 22, 2010) - Royal DSM N.V., the
global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, and Dutch biopharmaceutical
company Crucell N.V. (NYSE Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX), both
headquartered in the Netherlands, today announced an expansion of the activities
in their existing joint venture, the PERCIVIA PER.C6(®) Development Center
(Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States), to transform the company from a
development center into a full biopharmaceutical company for the development of
PER.C6(®)-based biobetter[1] proteins and monoclonal antibodies as well as
global licensing of the PER.C6(®) human cell line for production of third party
monoclonal antibodies and other proteins.
The joint venture, in which DSM and Crucell will each hold an equal equity
share, will be known as PERCIVIA LLC. The joint venture will broaden its scope
and will focus on proprietary development of PER.C6(®)-based biobetter proteins
and monoclonal antibodies, initially to early clinical stages.
The Board of PERCIVIA LLC will have equal representation from both investors.
Subject to customary approvals and clearances James (Jim) Mullen, a highly
experienced and successful biotech executive, will be appointed as Chairman of
the Board of the joint venture. Most recently Jim was CEO of Biogen Idec
(NASDAQ: BIIB).
Building on DSM's and Crucell's PER.C6(®) business activities, the joint venture
will have its own business development team for commercializing both the
PER.C6(®) platform for production of third party monoclonal antibodies and other
proteins, and the proprietary developed biobetter proteins and monoclonal
antibodies.
Jim Mullen, Chairman of the Board designate, PERCIVIA LLC said: "I look forward
to work with the PERCIVIA team to capitalize on the many opportunities in the
fast growing market for biobetters, we aim to capture these by leveraging the
advantages of the PER.C6(®) cell line platform."
Feike Sijbesma, CEO/Chairman of the DSM Managing Board stated, "DSM is excited
to enter this new phase in our collaboration with Crucell. After progress was
made by PERCIVIA as an R&D center with a focus on further developing the unique
PER.C6(®) technology platform, now is the time to take our cooperation with
Crucell to the next level."
Ronald Brus, President & Chief Executive Officer at Crucell said: "Since the
opening of the PERCIVIA Development Center, we have seen great progress in the
development of our PER.C6(®) cell line and are excited as the expansion of this
successful joint venture will further strengthen our commitment to modernize
therapeutic protein manufacturing."
Although founded as a 50/50 joint venture between DSM and Crucell, PERCIVIA LLC
will engage with other partners when beneficial to the development of the
product portfolio. Financial details of the joint venture will not be disclosed.
The PERCIVIA PER.C6(®) Development Center opened in 2006, designed to further
develop the PER.C6(®) cell line and to provide turnkey solutions for the
production of pharmaceutical proteins to licensees, utilizing the PER.C6(®)
human cell line in the biotech industry. PERCIVIA LLC will employ approximately
40 employees. PER.C6(®) is a registered trademark of Crucell Holland B.V.
PER.C6(®) Technology
Crucell's PER.C6(®) technology platform has been developed for the large-scale
manufacture of biopharmaceutical products such as recombinant proteins including
monoclonal antibodies. Compared to conventional production technologies, the
strengths of PER.C6(®) technology lie in its excellent safety profile, human
quality attributes, scalability and productivity under serum-free culture
conditions.
Crucell
Crucell N.V. (NYSE Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is a global
biopharmaceutical company focused on research development, production and
marketing of vaccines, proteins and antibodies that prevent and/or treat
infectious diseases. In 2009 alone, Crucell distributed more than 115 million
vaccine doses in more than 100 countries around the world, with the vast
majority of doses (97%) going to developing countries. Crucell is one of the
major suppliers of vaccines to UNICEF and the developing world. Crucell was the
first manufacturer to launch a fully-liquid pentavalent vaccine. Called
Quinvaxem(®), this innovative combination vaccine protects against five
important childhood diseases. Over 130 million doses have been sold since its
launch in 2006 in more than 50 GAVI countries. With this innovation, Crucell has
become a major partner in protecting children in developing countries. Other
products in Crucell's core portfolio include a vaccine against hepatitis B and a
virosome-adjuvanted vaccine against influenza. Crucell also markets travel
vaccines, such as an oral anti-typhoid vaccine, an oral cholera vaccine and the
only aluminum-free hepatitis A vaccine on the market. The Company has a broad
development pipeline, with several product candidates based on its unique
PER.C6(®) production technology. The Company licenses its PER.C6(®) technology
and other technologies to the biopharmaceutical industry. Important partners and
licensees include Johnson & Johnson, DSM Biologics, sanofi-aventis, Novartis,
Wyeth, GSK, CSL and Merck & Co. Crucell is headquartered in Leiden, the
Netherlands, with offices in China, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, the USA and Vietnam. The Company employs over 1300
people. For more information, please visit www.crucell.com
DSM Pharmaceutical Products
DSM Pharmaceutical Products is a global provider of high quality custom contract
manufacturing and development services to the pharmaceutical and
biopharmaceutical industries. DSM contract manufacturing services include:
chemical development, registered intermediates, registered starting materials,
active pharmaceutical ingredients (API's), mammalian cell production of
monoclonal antibodies and proteins, formulation development, clinical trial
manufacturing and finished dose form manufacturing of solids, semi-solids, and
scheduled drugs, aseptic liquid and lyophilized products. More
information:www.dsmpharmaceuticalproducts.com
DSM - the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates solutions that nourish, protect and improve performance.
Its end markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care,
pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrical and electronics,
life protection and housing. DSM manages its business with a focus on the triple
bottom line of economic performance, environmental quality and social
responsibility, which it pursues simultaneously and in parallel. DSM has annual
net sales of about ?8 billion and employs some 22,700 people worldwide. The
company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations on five continents.
DSM is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. More information:www.dsm.com
DSM Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on current expectations,
estimates and projections of the management of DSM and information currently
available. The statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are
difficult to predict and therefore DSM does not guarantee that their
expectations will be realized. Furthermore, DSM has no obligation to update the
statements contained in this press release.
Crucell Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. We have identified a number of important factors that
may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such
forward-looking statements. For information relating to these factors please
refer to our Form 20-F, as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
on April 7, 2010, in the section entitled 'Risk Factors'. The Company prepares
its financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS).
For more information:
DSM Corporate Communications
Herman Betten
tel. +31 (0) 45 5782017
fax +31 (0) 45 5740680
e-mailmedia.relations(at)dsm.com
DSM Investor Relations
Hans Vossen
tel. +31 (0) 45 5782864
fax +31 (0) 45 5782595
e-mailinvestor.relations(at)dsm.com
Crucell
Oya Yavuz
Vice President
Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
tel. +31 (0)71 519 7064
e-mailir(at)crucell.com
[1] Biobetters are biopharmaceutical products that are aimed at similar targets
and carry similar indications as existing biologics products, but are
differentiated by some characteristic other than price (either by convenience /
dosage form or a superior clinical profile or a combination of both).
[HUG#1446198]
PDF file:
http://hugin.info/132631/R/1446198/389195.pdf
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Source: Crucell N.V. via Thomson Reuters ONE
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 22.09.2010 - 23:30 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 42945
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