Leiden, The Netherlands, December 8, 2006 - Dutch biotechnology company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) announced today that it has been awarded an additional contract totaling over US$ 20 million for its Quinvaxem(TM) pediatric vaccine. This contract was awarded by a supranational organization for Latin America and covers sales in 2007.

 

This contract is valid for 2007 and in addition to the contract which has been awarded to Crucell December 1 by supranational organizations totaling over US$ 230 million for both its Quinvaxem(TM) and Hepavax-Gene® pediatric vaccines representing minimum sales to these supranational organizations over the next three years including 2009.

 

Following the WHO pre-qualification in September 2006, the combination vaccine was made available to supranational purchasing organizations. Supranational organizations are major customers for combination vaccines, which are used in large vaccination programs in developing countries.

 

Quinvaxem(TM), a fully-liquid pentavalent vaccine for children, was co-developed with Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics and is produced in Crucell's laboratories in South Korea. The vaccine combines antigens for protection against five important childhood diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b, one of the leading causes of bacterial meningitis and pneumonia in children.

 

Current worldwide demand for the Quinvaxem(TM) vaccine exceeds 50 million doses per year. The total market potential is 150 million doses per year in 3 to 4 years time. 

 

About Crucell

Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is a biotechnology company focused on research, development and worldwide marketing of vaccines 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 Crucell products based on its unique PER.C6® production technology. The Company licenses this and other technologies to the biopharmaceutical industry. Important partners and licensees include DSM Biologics, sanofi aventis, GSK and Merck & Co. Crucell is headquartered in Leiden (the Netherlands), with subsidiaries in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Korea and the US. The Company employs about 900 people. For more information, please visit www.crucell.com.