December 17, 2008 08:11 ET
Crucell Signs Second Exclusive License Agreement with Talecris Biotherapeutics
LEIDEN, NETHERLANDS--(Marketwire - December 17, 2008) - Leiden, The Netherlands (December 17,
2008) - Dutch biopharmaceutical
company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, Nasdaq: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX)
today announced that it has signed a second exclusive, commercial
license agreement with North Carolina-based Talecris Biotherapeutics
for an undisclosed and specific protein and the exclusive rights to
produce that protein using the PER.C6® cell line.
Crucell will receive an upfront payment of $1.5 million following the
execution of the agreement and will be eligible for milestone
payments of approximately $20 million. Further financial details of
the agreement were not disclosed.
In September Crucell announced that it had signed an exclusive,
commercial license agreement with North Carolina-based Talecris
Biotherapeutics also for an undisclosed and specific protein and the
exclusive rights to produce that protein using the PER.C6® cell line.
For that deal Crucell received an upfront payment of $2.5 million and
is eligible for milestone payments of approximately $30 million
across multiple indications.
About 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, scalability and
productivity under serum-free culture conditions.
About Crucell
Crucell N.V. (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 treat infectious diseases. Its vaccines are sold in
public and private markets worldwide. Crucell's core portfolio
includes a vaccine against hepatitis B, a fully-liquid vaccine
against five important childhood diseases and a virosome-adjuvanted
vaccine against influenza. Crucell also markets travel vaccines, such
as the only 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
DSM Biologics, sanofi-aventis, Novartis, Wyeth and Merck & Co.
Crucell is headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, with
subsidiaries in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Korea and the US.
The Company employs over a 1000 people. For more information, please
visit www.crucell.com.
About Talecris Biotherapeutics: Inspiration. Dedication. Innovation.
Talecris Biotherapeutics is a global biotherapeutic and biotechnology
company that discovers, develops and produces critical care
treatments for people with life-threatening disorders in a variety of
therapeutic areas including immunology, pulmonology, and hemostasis.
Talecris is proudly building upon a 60-year legacy of innovation and
a commitment to improving the lives of people who rely on its
therapeutic products. With an emphasis on scientific inquiry and
technological excellence, Talecris is expanding its current portfolio
of products, programs, and services through its own world-class
product development organization as well as through strategic
initiatives that leverage its strengths with those of its partners.
Talecris, with revenues of approximately $1.2 billion in 2007, is
headquartered in biotech hub Research Triangle Park, N.C., and
employs more than 4,500 talented people worldwide. To learn more
about Talecris and how its employees are making a difference in the
lives of patients and the healthcare community, visit
www.talecris.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve
inherent risks and uncertainties. We have identified certain
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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7,
2008, and the section entitled "Risk Factors". The Company prepares
its financial statements under International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS).
For further information please contact:
Crucell N.V.
Oya Yavuz
Director Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Tel. +31-(0)71-519 7064
ir@crucell.com
www.crucell.com
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