STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN--(Marketwire - March 12, 2010) -
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (STO: BVT) today announced an agreement with Amgen to run an additional Kineret® bulk drug campaign. In addition, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum will pay to buy-out previously agreed future sales milestones for Kineret® and Kepivance®.
Under the agreement Amgen will run an additional Kineret® campaign at its Boulder facility in Colorado, as well as manufacture drug product at its facility in Puerto Rico. The objective of this additional campaign is to meet an expected increased market demand of Kineret® until Swedish Orphan Biovitrum has transferred manufacturing processes to new contract manufacturers.
“We have with great excitement noticed an increased demand for Kineret® throughout 2009. Hence we are happy that Amgen will run an additional Kineret® campaign as we continue our efforts to provide our innovative drug to patients who need it,” said Martin Nicklasson, CEO of Biovitrum.
About Kineret® (anakinra)
In December 2008, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum obtained from Amgen the global exclusive rights to Kineret® for rheumatoid arthritis as currently indicated on its label. In November 2009, the agreement regarding Swedish Orphan Biovitrum’s Kineret® license was expanded to include certain orphan indications.
Information about Kineret® can be found at the following site: http://www.kineretrx.com/
Healthcare professionals should refer to and rely upon the PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference) or the corresponding national labeling texts.
About Swedish Orphan Biovitrum
On January 14, 2010, Biovitrum AB (publ) completed the acquisition of Swedish Orphan International Holding AB and created Swedish Orphan Biovitrum - a leading company focused on treatment of rare diseases.
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum is a Swedish based specialty pharmaceutical company with an international market presence. The company is focused on providing and developing orphan and niche specialist pharmaceuticals to patients with high medical needs. The portfolio consists of about 60 marketed products and an emerging late stage clinical development pipeline within rare diseases. Swedish Orphan Biovitrum has pro-forma revenues 2009e of about 2 BSEK and approximately 500 employees. The head office is located in Sweden and the share (STO: BVT) is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm. For more information please visit www.biovitrum.com.
For more information please contact: Swedish Orphan Biovitrum: Erik Kinnman, EVP Investor Relations Phone: +46 73 422 15 40 erik.kinnman@biovitrum.com Martin Nicklasson, CEO Phone: +46 8 697 20 00
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum may be required to disclose the information provided herein pursuant to the Swedish Securities Markets Act. The information was provided for public release on March 12, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. CET.
[HUG#1393209]
Press release March 12th in PDF version: http://hugin.info/134557/R/1393209/350556.pdf
