Galapagos Genomics NV And Prolysis Limited Extend Research Collaboration

MECHELEN, BELGIUM--(MARKET WIRE)--Dec 30, 2005 -- Mechelen, Belgium and Oxford, UK; 30 December, 2005 - Galapagos NV (Euronext & LSE: GLPG) and Prolysis Ltd announced today an extension of the research collaboration started earlier this year. BioFocus, the service division of Galapagos, is progressing a lead optimisation program for Prolysis to identify dual enzyme inhibitors that can overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance. Under the terms of the collaboration, Prolysis will fund BioFocus research for medicinal chemistry work throughout 2006. Prolysis also has the option to access in vitro ADMET and computational chemistry services from BioFocus during that period. "Progress made in the collaboration with Prolysis indicates how BioFocus' drug discovery services can accelerate a development program," said Onno van de Stolpe, Chief Executive Officer of Galapagos. "We are pleased that Prolysis, a leader in anti-bacterial agent discovery and development, chooses BioFocus to move this key project through lead optimisation to development candidate nomination."