STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 28, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Biotechnology company Biovitrum, has established a new business unit, Biovitrum Biopharmaceuticals, with the purpose of strengthening its position as a supplier of process development and contract manufacture of recombinant proteins. The unit will be headed by Hans Orstrom who will also become a member of the Biovitrum Senior Management team.
A three-year partnership was recently initiated with US biotechnology company Amgen, which has commissioned Biovitrum to develop cost- efficient commercial production processes for future protein-based pharmaceuticals. Amgen has conducted research and development in recombinant proteins for some 20 years and is currently the world's largest biotechnology company.
Biovitrum Biopharmaceuticals has extensive experience and broad know-howin both process development and the production of recombinant proteinsin preparation for pre-clinical and clinical trials. The agreement willgrant Amgen access to Biovitrum's expertise in securing stableproduction processes for future launches of protein-basedpharmaceuticals.
"This is an important milestone for Biovitrum Biopharmaceuticals. We are entering a multi-year collaboration with the world's most successful company in protein-based pharmaceuticals," says Hans Orstrom. "Naturally, the partnership strengthens our position as a supplier of high-quality process development, giving the new business unit a favorable start."
Biovitrum Biopharmaceuticals' other customers include Pfizer, Active Biotech and Wyeth.
Biovitrum is among the pioneers of protein-based pharmaceuticals. As part of the former Kabivitrum, Biovitrum's researchers were involved with the development of recombinant growth hormone in the early 1980s. Since then, the group has developed several processes for clinical materials and for the commercial production of recombinant protein-based pharmaceuticals, such as ReFacto (recombinant factor VIII). ReFacto, which is used in the treatment of hemophilia, has been produced by Biovitrum and marketed by US pharmaceuticals company Wyeth since 1999.
Biovitrum enquiries: Mikael Widell, SVP Communications Biovitrum AB Tel +46 8 697 20 85 Mobile +46 70 311 99 60 Mikael.widell@biovitrum.com
Notes to editors:
About Biovitrum
Biovitrum is a privately held biotech company active in the discovery and development of drugs to treat metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, and in the process development and contract manufacturing of protein therapeutics. The company has a strong intellectual property and technology platform, with a number of compounds in pre-clinical and clinical development. Biovitrum is one of the largest biotech companies in Europe with more than 575 employees. Annual revenues, including royalties and contract service fees, finance the major part of the annual research budget. For more information, please visit Biovitrum's website at www.biovitrum.com.
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