Crucell Receives NIAID/NIH Contract for Development of Ebola and
Marburg Vaccines
Leiden, The Netherlands (October 3, 2008) - Dutch biopharma company
Crucell N.V. (Euronext, Nasdaq: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) today
announced that it received a National Institutes of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID)/National Institutes of Health (NIH)
contract aimed at advancing the development of a multivalent
filovirus vaccine that includes both Ebola and Marburg viruses. The
contract provides funding of up to $30 million, with additional
options that may be triggered at the discretion of the NIH worth a
further $40 million.
"We are grateful to the NIAID/NIH for this award, which makes use of
Crucell's proprietary AdVac® technology" said Dr. Jaap Goudsmit,
Crucell's Chief Scientific Officer. "This award recognizes the
scientific basis for using rare adenovirus serotypes to develop
vaccines." Dr. Goudsmit added, "The contract builds upon earlier work
Crucell has performed with the Vaccine Research Center at NIH, and
brings us a step closer to being able to provide effective
countermeasures against a highly lethal infectious disease."
Crucell will be the primary contractor with additional services being
supplied by the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, located
in San Antonio, Texas and Quintiles Guys Drug Research Unit, located
in London.
About Ebola and Marburg
The Ebola and Marburg viruses are capable of causing hemorrhagic
fever, a severe, often-fatal disease in humans characterized by high
fever and massive internal bleeding causing death in 50% to 80% of
all cases. Ebola and Marburg outbreaks occur regularly in tropical
Africa, affecting both human and great ape populations. Since the
Ebola virus was first recognized, approximately 2,200 cases including
over 1,500 deaths have been reported. To date over 440 cases of
Marburg have been reported with approximately 360 fatalities. Ebola
and Marburg usually appear in sporadic outbreaks, and spread within a
health-care setting. Because of the high disease-related mortality
rates and lack of any vaccine or therapy, the Ebola and Marburg
viruses are on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Category "A" list of bioterror agents, together with smallpox and
anthrax.
About AdVac® technology
AdVac® technology is a vaccine technology developed by Crucell and is
considered to play an important role in the fight against emerging
and re-emerging infectious diseases, and in biodefense. The
technology supports the practice of inserting genetic material from
the disease-causing virus or parasite into a 'vehicle' called a
vector, which then delivers the immunogenic material directly to the
immune system. Most vectors are based on an adenovirus, such as the
virus that causes the common cold. The AdVac® technology is
specifically designed to manage the problem of pre-existing immunity
in humans against the most commonly used recombinant vaccine vector,
adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), without compromising large-scale
production capabilities or the immunogenic properties of Ad5. AdVac®
technology is based on adenoviruses that do not regularly occur in
the human population, such as Ad35. In contrast to for instance Ad35
antibodies, antibodies to Ad5 are widespread among people of all ages
and are known to lower the immune response to Ad5-based vaccines,
thereby impairing the efficacy of these vaccines. All vaccine
candidates based on AdVac® are produced using Crucell's PER.C6®
production technology.
About Crucell
Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is a
global biopharma company focused on research, development, production
and marketing of vaccines, proteins and antibodies that prevent and
treat primarily 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.
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).
Calendar:
11 November 2008 Q3 Results 2008
17 February 2009 Q4 Results 2008
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