Leiden, The Netherlands, January 15, 2002 - Dutch antibody and vaccine company Crucell (NASDAQ, Euronext: CRXL) today announced it has granted Boston-based Lexigen Pharmaceuticals Corp a non-exclusive license for its proprietary human cell system PER.C6.

 

Under the terms of the agreement, Lexigen will use PER.C6 for research and clinical development of therapeutics in the field of oncology. Crucell will receive upfront and annual payments, while Lexigen has an option for a commercial license. Further financial details were not disclosed.

According to Crucell's CEO Dinko Valerio, the deal strengthens the position of PER.C6 as the industry standard for the production of gene therapy and vaccine products. "An increasing number of major pharmaceutical firms rely on PER.C6's superior production and safety qualities."

Crucell's nineteen PER.C6 licensees include among others Merck & Co, which uses PER.C6 to produce its experimental HIV vaccine. Multiple vaccine and gene therapy clinical trials with PER.C6 manufactured materials are ongoing in Europe and in the US.

Lexigen Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company with a two-fold mission of developing treatments for serious and life-threatening diseases and building a pharmaceutical platform that will lead to new therapies. Lexigen is wholly owned by Merck KGaA (no relation to Merck & Co) of Darmstadt, Germany. Merck KGaA generated sales of EUR 6.7 billion in 2000 in the fields of Pharmaceuticals, Specialty Chemicals, Lab Products and Lab Distribution. Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA is represented today by more than 200 companies in 52 countries and employs 34,300 people worldwide

About Crucell
Dutch biotechnology company Crucell discovers and develops novel antibodies and vaccines against cancer, inflammatory disease and infectious disease.

Crucell discovers novel disease targets and develops fully human antibodies against them. Commercialisation takes place by pharmaceutical firms in return for upfront payments, milestones and royalties. Crucell's anti-CD 46 antibody against multiple myeloma, breast cancer, and colon cancer is being co-developed with Centocor, a Johnson&Johnson company.

Crucell is currently developing antibodies against colon cancer, breast cancer, anti-angiogenesis, leukaemia and inflammation and has additional programs in oncology, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Crucell will leverage its proprietary MAbstract technology to discover two new targets and antibodies every single year.

Crucell also plays an essential role in the development of Merck & Co's HIV vaccine. Merck & Co has obtained the exclusive rights to use Crucell's PER.C6 human cell system for the production of the vaccine's key adenoviral vector. Merck & Co is currently conducting Phase I/II trials with its vaccine.

The company has furthermore developed a revolutionary new flu vaccine production system, based on its patented human cell system PER.C6. PER.C6 is already the industry standard for the production of gene therapy products and viral vectors.
Crucell has been listed on the NASDAQ and Euronext since October 2000. Crucell has its headquarters in Leiden, the Netherlands, and currently employs some 170 staff.

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. See our Form 20-F, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 29, 2001 and the section of the Form 20-F entitled "Risk Factors".

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