DSM Biologics, a business unit of DSM Pharmaceutical Products, and Dutch
biopharmaceutical company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss
Exchange: CRX), today announced that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) signed a license
agreement allowing GSK to research a recombinant protein on the PER.C6®
platform. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“We are very pleased to enter into this collaboration with GSK”, said Ronald
Brus, Crucell's Chief Executive Officer. “This agreement further underscores
the potential of our PER.C6® production technology for generating recombinant
proteins.”
“The PER.C6® production technology continues to surpass our expectations as a
robust manufacturing platform with its ever extending and global reach into
the Research and Development departments of major healthcare players,” adds
Karen King, President of DSM Biologics. “This agreement with GSK brings us
closer to our mission of making the PER.C6® technology a gold standard for
industry use.”
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 DSM Biologics
DSM Biologics, a business unit of DSM
Pharmaceutical Products, is a global provider of manufacturing technology &
services to the biopharmaceutical industry. In addition to offering
world-class biopharmaceutical manufacturing services, DSM Biologics has
co-exclusive rights, along with Dutch biotech company Crucell N.V., to license
the high-producing PER.C6® human cell line as a production platform for
recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies. The combination of the PER.C6®
human cell line and DSM’s manufacturing services provides companies with a
turn-key biologic manufacturing solution reducing cost, risk and time to
market.
DSM – the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company
Royal DSM N.V. creates innovative products and services in Life Sciences and
Materials Sciences that contribute to the quality of life. DSM’s products and
services are used globally in a wide range of markets and applications,
supporting a healthier, more sustainable and more enjoyable way of life. End
markets include human and animal nutrition and health, personal care,
pharmaceuticals, automotive, coatings and paint, electrics and electronics,
life protection and housing. DSM has annual sales of almost EUR 8.8 billion
and employs some 23,000 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.
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, Portugal, Italy, Sweden,
Korea and the US. The Company employs over a 1000 people. For more
information, please visit www.crucell.com.
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 Crucell and information currently available to
both companies. The statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that
are difficult to predict and therefore DSM and Crucell do not guarantee that
their expectations will be realized. Furthermore, DSM and Crucell have no
obligation to update the statements contained in this press release. Crucell
N.V. has 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 the Form 20-F, as filed
by Crucell N.V. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 7,
2008, and in particular the section entitled “Risk Factors”. Crucell N.V.
prepares its financial statements under International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS).