Comunicati Stampa

Nantes (Francia) - 5 febbraio 2008 - In linea con la strategia di sviluppo della tecnologia EBx® nel campo della produzione di proteine terapeutiche, Vivalis annuncia il rafforzamento del team con il Dott . Frédéric Legros che assume la carica di Business Developer e l assunzione di ricercatori nonché con investimenti mirati in nuova attrezzatura . VIVALIS intende diventare uno dei maggiori player nel settore delle linee cellulari dedicate al mercato delle proteine terapeutiche il cui valore oggi è di oltre 76 miliardi di dollari . Questo nuovo settore è palesemente complementare al mercato dei vaccini e VIVALIS può contare su forti sinergie nello sviluppo della propria piattaforma EBx® in entrambi i settori . Nel settore delle proteine, la piattaforma EBx® ha dimostrato un vero potenziale . I profili particolari di glicosilazione delle proteine ottenuti hanno un impatto positivo sull attività biologica di tutte le proteine terapeutiche testate . VIVALIS has already completed license and research agreements with 3 companies (Sanofi-Aventis, Innate Pharma et MAT Biopharma) and is currently working on others significant agreements in the protein market . In the vaccine field, 21 pharmaceutical or biotech companies are today using or testing the EBx® technology . Dr Frédéric Legros arrival as Business DeveloperDr Frédéric Legros joins today VIVALIS as Business Developer and will be mainly dedicated to the marketing of the EBx® platform in the therapeutic protein field . Frédéric Legros received his Ph . D in cell biology at the University of PARIS 7 and has a Specialized Master s degree in innovation management (Reims Management School - Institut National Agronomie Paris Grignon) . Then Frédéric Legros has first been in charge of technology transfert at FIST SA, affiliate of the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) . The last two years, Frédéric Legros was Licensing Manager in charge of the vaccine and therapeutic protein technologies at Institut Pasteur (Paris) . VIVALIS will therefore benefit from Dr . Legros strong experience and know-how in vaccines and therapeutic proteins markets . Reinforcement of the human and technical resourcesSince its IPO, VIVALIS has in addition strengthened its resources in research . Indeed new researchers have join the protein team and the company has recently acquired a state of the art technology, the ClonePix robot from the UK based company Genetix which should speed-up the EBx® platform development in the field of therapeutic protein . Franck GRIMAUD, VIVALIS CEO declared: "We are very happy to welcome Dr Frédéric LEGROS . This arrival, together with several researchers and new investments, demonstrate VIVALIS strategic commitment in the fast growing therapeutic protein market . We are strongly convinced that the EBx® platform benefits of strong competitive advantages, in particular for anti-cancer antibodies . This new market represents a second growth opportunity very synergic with our initial vaccine market" . About recombinant proteins production in EBx® cell linesMonoclonal antibodies represent an important class of biotherapeutic products . A significant fraction of the monoclonal antibodies currently on the market or under development are for the treatment of cancers or auto-immune diseases, acting via Antibody Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity (ADCC) mechanism . Nowadays, there is great interest in developing monoclonal antibodies with improved biological activities, in order to reduce therapeutic doses and manufacturing costs . VIVALIS has developed proprietary EBx® cell lines derived from duck embryonic stem cells, that present interesting industrial and regulatory characteristics, in particular cell growth to high cell density (> 10 million cells/ml) in suspension in serum free medium . EBx® cell lines are already widely endorsed by the human and veterinary pharmaceutical industries for viral vaccines production, as accredited by the signature of numerous licenses, for example, SANOFI-PASTEUR, GLAXO-SMITH-KLINE, NOVARTIS VACCINES, NOBILON, CSL, BAVARIAN NORDIC, FORTDODGE, MERIAL, INTERVET and CEVA . In the field of therapeutic proteins production, VIVALIS recently demonstrated that EBx® cells are easily genetically engineered to efficiently express recombinant proteins of interest . VIVALIS and its partners have demonstrated that the glycosylation profile of monoclonal antibodies produced in EBx® cells, is similar to human monoclonal antibodies glycosylation profile, with the remarkable additional feature of allowing a better cytotoxic activity to antibodies, since avian cells produce antibodies with a reduced fucose content . EBx® cells have thus the potential to constitute a novel cellular platform for recombinant protein production, and, in particular monoclonal antibodies having an improved cytotoxic activity . The business model is identical to the one signed in the vaccine field: upfront payment, milestones payment and royalties on clients sales . *******************Next calendar:February 14th, 2008 after Euronext Paris closing: Year 2007 RevenuesAbout VIVALIS (www . vivalis . com)Vivalis (NYSE- Euronext: VLS) is a public biopharmaceutical company that provides innovative cell-based solutions for the industrial manufacture of viral vaccines and therapeutic proteins, and develops vaccines and drugs to prevent and treat viral diseases . VIVALIS know-how and proprietary technologies are commercially exploited in three main areas:- Vaccine development and manufacturing . VIVALIS grants research & commercial licences to its proprietary ebx® embryonic stem cell lines to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies active in the viral vaccine business . - Recombinant therapeutic protein and monoclonal antibody production systems development . VIVALIS partners with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in this area, to which it licences its proprietary ebx® embryonic stem cell lines to manufacture recombinant therapeutic proteins . - The build-up of a proprietary portfolio of vaccines and anti-viral molecules . Based in Nantes (France), Vivalis was created in 1999 by Group GRIMAUD (1350 employees), the n°2 group worldwide in avian genetic breeding . Vivalis has established several partnerships with companies that are worldwide leaders in their respective fields, including Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis Vaccines, Merial and SAFC Biosciences . VIVALIS is a member of the French ATLANTIC BIOTHERAPIES cluster . Euronext Paris - Sector C - FR0004056851Reuters: VLS . PA - Bloomberg: VLS FPInvestors Relation :VIVALISFranck Grimaud, C . E . OEmail : investors@vivalis . comNewCapFinancial Communication AgencySteve Grobet / Emmanuel HuynhTel . : +33 (0) 1 44 71 94 91Email : vivalis@newcap . frCopyright Hugin[CN#131916]