STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 4, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Diamyd Medical AB and Biovitrum AB have signed an agreement covering the market adaptation of the production process for GAD65, Diamyd's product for the treatment of diabetes. The agreement means that Biovitrum is assigned the task of adapting the purification processes required for Phase III clinical trials and commercial production. Diamyd's diabetes drug is currently being tested in three different clinical trials (Phase II). The project will commence in April and will have a duration of six months.
"We are pleased to be able to cooperate with Biovitrum. Biovitrum's thorough knowledge and experience of industrial process development is important for us to rapidly be able to meet the stringent requirements placed on commercial production," says Anders Essen-Moller, CEO President of Diamyd Medical.
"We are truly looking forward to working together with Diamyd Medical. This cooperation is a good example of how we can use our unique expertise in process development and quality assurance to generate added value for customers," says Hans Orstrom, SVP Commercial Operations.
About Diamyd Medical AB
Diamyd Medical is listed on the O-List of the Stockholm Stock Exchange (OMX:Diam B) and conducts focused pharmaceutical development based on the GAD (glutamine acid decarboxylase) technology platform. GAD65 is one of the target molecules when the immune defense system attacks the beta cells of the pancreas, leading to insulin-dependent diabetes. Diamyd Medical's most advanced project is Diamyd(TM), for which three clinical trials are currently in progress.
Further information is available at www.diamyd.com.
About Biovitrum AB
Biovitrum is one of Europe's largest biotechnology companies, with operations in Stockholm and Uppsala, Sweden and with the acquisition of Cambridge Biotechnology Ltd also in Cambridge, UK. Our operations comprise R&D, focusing on research and development relating to new pharmaceuticals and Commercial Operations, focusing on developing and producing protein-based drugs on a contractual basis and marketing and selling pharmaceuticals in Europe. Of Biovitrum's approximately 580 employees, some 320 work in proprietary R&D activities and about 200 in Commercial Operations.
More information about Biovitrum at http://www.biovitrum.com/.
This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net
The following files are available for download:
http://wpy.waymaker.net/client/waymaker1/WOLReleaseFile.aspx?id=84830&fn=wkr0001.pdf