Imugene and Merial Establish Strategic Alliance
company, and the Australian company Imugene have signed a comprehensive
agreement allowing Merial to obtain exclusive rights to Imugene vector
technology. Under the Strategic Alliance, Merial will progress candidates
through the product development process to global sales. Additional vaccine
candidates will be evaluated for proof of concept and, if successful, will
also progress into the product development process.
The Strategic Alliance commences
received an initial payment for future research and the reimbursement of past
research fees.
The terms of the Strategic Alliance include the Poultry Productivity
Enhancer previously sublicensed to Merial. This vaccine candidate will now be
progressed with other FAV (Fowl Adeno Virus) and PAV (Porcine Adeno Virus)
vectored vaccine candidates already researched by Imugene and additional
vaccine candidates to be disclosed by Merial.
Commenting on the successful conclusion of the exclusive strategic
alliance negotiations, Imugene Managing Director Dr. Warwick Lamb said, “The
results from our recent trials and vaccine development activities have been
significant and have led to the alliance arrangements with one of the world’s
leading animal health companies. Merial and Imugene will now collaborate over
the coming years to develop of a suite of vaccines for worldwide sales.”
“We are very pleased to enter this new phase of our relationship with
Imugene,” said
exclusive strategic alliance and licensing agreement gives Merial access to
important technology for our innovation of new approaches that could allow our
veterinarian customers innovative means for managing important, poorly
controlled diseases of swine and poultry. Our relationship dates back to the
very beginning of Imugene as a company, and we are confident that Imugene’s
adenoviral vectors have significant commercial potential for driving the
development of important new products in animal health.”
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company,
providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being
and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs more than 5,400
people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2007 sales were
nearly
Inc. and sanofi-aventis. For more information, please see www.merial.com
About Imugene
Imugene Limited (ASX Code: IMU) specialises in the development and
commercialisation of novel animal health products for pigs and poultry.
Founded in 2002, Imugene has a stable specialist management and scientific
team supplemented with extensive use of specialist consultants and contracted
trial facilities in the
Imugene’s range of products under development includes vaccines to prevent
important livestock diseases and productivity enhancers to improve the
economics of raising commercial livestock. These biologically-based vaccines
improve the health and welfare of pigs and poultry and reduce or eliminate the
use of antibiotics, chemicals and drugs.
Imugene owns the worldwide rights to the Fowl Adenoviral Vector Delivery
System for poultry and the Porcine Adenoviral Vector Delivery System for pigs.
For more information please visit the Imugene website www.imugene.com
SOURCE Merial