Merck Serono related Press Releases

ABLYNX AND MERCK SERONO EXPAND THEIR PARTNERSHIP INTO OSTEOARTHRITIS

Maureen Martino — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:53:02 -0500

ABLYNX AND MERCK SERONO EXPAND THEIR PARTNERSHIP INTO OSTEOARTHRITIS

Wed Nov 9, 2011 1:01am EST

GHENT, Belgium, 9 November 2011 - Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX] today announced that it has further expanded its relationship with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and entered into a third agreement to co-discover and co-develop Nanobodies® against two targets in osteoarthritis. The companies will exploit the unique Nanobody features and will develop multi-specific products, which have extended half-lives.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ablynx will receive an upfront payment of €20 million payable in two tranches over the next three months and will be fully responsible for all activities and costs for each programme, excluding manufacturing costs and costs relating to certain in vivo models, up to the delivery of the pre-clinical package that will form the basis of an Investigational New Drug (IND) filing or IND equivalent filing. Ablynx is entitled to receive a further €15 million for each programme if the pre-clinical packages are accepted by Merck Serono. At that point, Ablynx has the option to continue with Merck Serono on a 50:50 co-development basis and share the resulting profits, or to convert this collaboration into an exclusive, worldwide licensing deal with milestone payments and tiered royalties.

"We are pleased with the progress we have made to date in our existing collaborations with Ablynx, and we look forward to further developing our productive relationship," said Dr Bernhard Kirschbaum, Head of Global Discovery and Early Development at Merck Serono. "We are impressed by the speed with which Ablynx has progressed in our ongoing programmes and we believe they could become a valuable source of new drug candidates for Merck Serono. We believe that the specific features of the Nanobodies have the potential to address key challenges in the treatment of osteoarthritis."

Dr Edwin Moses, Chairman and CEO of Ablynx commented: "We are very pleased to have entered into a third agreement with Merck Serono a year after entering into our second collaboration. Merck Serono is one of our most valued partners and the innovative and creative deal structure that we have put in place represents a "win-win" for both parties. Such new deals with an existing partner are clear signs of success of the earlier programmes in the partnership and reflect well on the strength of our Nanobody platform and the potential drug products it can create."

In September 2008, Merck Serono and Ablynx entered into an agreement to co-discover and co-develop Nanobodies against two disease targets in oncology and immunology. In October 2010, the companies entered into a second agreement to co-discover and co-develop Nanobodies against an inflammatory disease target.

For more information, please contact Ablynx:
Dr Edwin Moses
Chairman and CEO
t: +32 (0)9 262 00 07
m: +44 (0)7771 954 193 /
+32 (0)473 39 50 68
e: edwin.moses@ablynx.com

Marieke Vermeersch
Investor Relations Manager
t: +32 (0)9 262 00 82
m: +32 (0)479 49 06 03
e: marieke.vermeersch@ablynx.com

BioMarin to Present at the Credit Suisse Healthcare Conference

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:21:02 -0400

NOVATO, Calif., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today announced that Dan Maher, Senior Vice President of Product Development at BioMarin, will present a company update at the Credit Suisse Healthcare Conference in Phoenix on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 3:30 p.m. MST.

Interested parties may access a live audio webcast of the conference call via the investor section of the BioMarin website, www.BMRN.com. A replay of the call will be archived on the site for one week following the call.

About BioMarin

BioMarin develops and commercializes innovative biopharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. The company's product portfolio comprises four approved products and multiple clinical and pre-clinical product candidates. Approved products include Naglazyme® (galsulfase) for mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI), a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; Aldurazyme® (laronidase) for mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), a product which BioMarin developed through a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme Corporation; Kuvan® (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Tablets, for phenylketonuria (PKU), developed in partnership with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany; and Firdapse™ (amifampridine phosphate), which has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). Product candidates include GALNS (N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulfatase), which is currently in Phase III clinical development for the treatment of MPS IVA; PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase), which is currently in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of PKU; BMN-701, a novel fusion protein of insulin-like growth factor 2 and acid alpha glucosidase (IGF2-GAA), which is currently in Phase I/II clinical development for the treatment of Pompe disease; and BMN-673, a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, which is currently in Phase I/II clinical development for the treatment of genetically-defined cancers. For additional information, please visit www.BMRN.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

BioMarin®, Naglazyme®, Kuvan® and Firdapse™ are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Aldurazyme® is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.

Contact:
Investors	Media
Eugenia Shen	Bob Purcell
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.	BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
(415) 506-6570	(415) 506-3267

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Dual-Novel Combinations: A New Strategy for Developing Cancer Drugs

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:21:22 -0400

Oliver Wyman paper highlights jump in efficacy, quicker time to market

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A rarely used—and as yet largely unproven—approach to drug development has emerged as a significant tool in the effort to create high-impact new cancer drugs.

The technique, described in a just-published paper from the Health & Life Sciences practice of consulting firm Oliver Wyman, is a new twist on the concept of combination drugs. “Combination drugs are important in oncology,” says Oliver Wyman partner Peter Gilmore, one of the paper's coauthors. “By attacking the cancer at multiple points on cell signaling pathways, or by attacking multiple pathways, drugs can overcome resistance and gain greater potency. But traditionally developers have built combinations only from drugs that were already approved as stand-alone treatments by the FDA. Today that has changed, and companies are increasingly working on ‘dual-novel combinations’—combination drugs in which neither of the component drugs has been approved for use alone.”

Historically, dual-novel combinations are extremely rare. The technique has led to only a small handful of approved drugs. But that is changing rapidly. This past spring Janet Woodcock, who heads the FDA's drug division, wrote an article supporting dual-novel development in the New England Journal of Medicine, and the agency has issued draft guidance on when dual-novel development is appropriate and how to carry it out. Today there are about 25 dual-novel combinations in development for various cancers. For example:

GlaxoSmithKline has a BRAF inhibitor plus a MEK 1/2 inhibitor in Phase II for metastatic melanoma.
Novartis is testing a MEK1/2 inhibitor plus a PI3K inhibitor in a variety of solid tumors.
Sanofi and Merck Serono have partnered to develop a dual-novel combination of Merck Serono's MEK 1/2 inhibitor and Sanofi's dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor.

“Dual-novel development is expensive and requires more extensive clinical trials than conventional development,” says Surajit Sen, an associate partner in Oliver Wyman's Health & Life Sciences practice and the paper's other coauthor. “But it holds the promise of getting to market more quickly with a drug that represents a major step forward in value to patients.”

Sen and Gilmore's paper can be downloaded at www.oliverwyman.com/4496.htm.

About Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman is a leading global management consulting firm that combines deep industry knowledge with specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, organizational transformation, and leadership development. Oliver Wyman's Health & Life Sciences practice serves clients in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices, provider, and payer sectors with strategic, operational, and organizational advice. Deep healthcare knowledge and capabilities allow the practice to deliver fact-based solutions. For more information, visit oliverwyman.com.

CONTACT:

Oliver Wyman
Patrick Clinton, 212-345-3013
patrick.clinton@oliverwyman.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology Clinical Trials Oncology Pharmaceutical Other Health Professional Services Consulting Other Professional Services FDA General Health

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BIO-Europe® 2011 workshop to discover which biotech “has talent”

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:20:55 -0400

ZURICH & DUESSELDORF, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Promising biotechs will have a unique opportunity to pitch their best assets to a star-studded panel of business development executives in a special competition at BIO-Europe^® 2011, being held October 31–November 2 at the CCD Congress Center in Duesseldorf, Germany.

In the workshop, “The Perfect Pitch: Biotech Has Talent,” attendees will have a chance to win a one-to-one meeting with senior big pharma executives. Members of the audience will have 30 seconds to present their companies or technologies to global dealmakers, and will be judged on the quality and effectiveness of their overall pitches.

“The art of delivering your sales pitch succinctly is a very important skill, especially in an industry like biotechnology that relies heavily on relationships for partnering and fundraising,” said Doug MacDougall, President of MacDougall Biomedical Communications and moderator of the workshop. “This workshop provides a unique opportunity for companies with products, technologies or services to hone their skills in front of an audience of real decision makers.”

The top picks will be selected for a second round that includes an additional two to three minutes of presentation and/or a Q&A time with the panel. The first-place winner will receive a full 30-minute private follow-up meeting with the panelist of their choice.

“The ’Biotech Has Talent’ workshop is one of many interactive sessions at BIO-Europe that stimulate partnerships and build relationships among the nearly 3,000 attendees who are there to do business,” said Carola Schropp, President of EBD Group, the conference organizer. “We’re looking forward to both the pitches from companies and the viewpoints from the judges.”

Judges will come from a full range of companies including Merck Serono Ventures, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Shire and Genentech. Attendees are encouraged to practice thoroughly and pre-workshop coaching is available from MacDougall.

“Thirty seconds is more than enough time to deliver your message,” says MacDougall. “Your only goal is to get the next meeting, which of course is the prize we offer the winning contestants.”

BIO-Europe is Europe's largest partnering event serving the global biotechnology industry. BIO-Europe 2010 saw 14,661 one-to-one meetings conducted by 2,906 attendees from 1,688 companies. The event features partneringONE^®, the industry's most advanced web-based partnering system, enabling delegates from all parts of the biotechnology value chain to quickly identify, engage and enter into strategic relationships that drive their business successfully forward.

For more information on pre-workshop coaching, contact Doug MacDougall at doug@macbiocom.com.

For more information on BIO-Europe: visit www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope

About EBD Group

EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global life science industry. Since 1993, biotech, pharma and medical device companies have leveraged EBD Group’s partnering conferences, technology and services to identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships essential to their success.

EBD Group’s conferences are run with the support of leading corporations and international trade associations and include:

BIO-Europe^® and BIO-Europe Spring^®, Europe’s largest life science partnering conferences, supported by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
BioPharm America™, the fastest growing partnering event in North America
EuroMedtech™, EBD Group’s partnering event for the innovative medical technology industry
BioEquity Europe, the investor conference co-organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO
ChinaBio^® Partnering Forum, the first dedicated biotech/pharma partnering conference in China, co-produced with ChinaBio^® LLC
Biotech Showcase™, a unique forum in San Francisco for presenting to investors and business development executives, co-produced with Demy-Colton Life Science Advisors

EBD Group’s sophisticated web-based partnering service, partneringONE^®, is used as the partnering engine at numerous third-party events around the world.

Outside of the conference format, EBD Group’s consultants provide hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and technologies.

EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.

For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com.

CONTACT:

EBD Group
Tilton Little, +1 415-410-5410
tlittle@ebdgroup.com

KEYWORDS: Europe Germany Switzerland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology Medical Devices Pharmaceutical

MEDIA:

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Merck Serono and Ono Pharmaceutical Form Collaborations to Develop Oral Multiple Sclerosis Drug and Cancer Immunotherapy

Maureen Martino — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:41:10 -0400

Merck Serono and Ono Pharmaceutical Form Collaborations to Develop Oral Multiple Sclerosis Drug and Cancer Immunotherapy

GENEVA, October 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Merck Serono to collaborate with Ono for the development and commercialization of ONO-4641, an oral investigational sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator, in Phase II in multiple sclerosis

- The companies will also collaborate in Japan on the development and marketing of Stimuvax, Merck Serono's investigational cancer immunotherapycurrently in Phase III clinical development

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced the signature of two separate agreements with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan to strengthen its multiple sclerosis and cancer franchises.

The first agreement grants Merck worldwide exclusive license rights for the development and commercialization of ONO-4641 outside of Japan, Korea and Taiwan. ONO-4641 is a novel oral compound currently in Phase II of development that was originally discovered and developed by Ono for the potential treatment of multiple sclerosis. The second license agreement provides Ono with co-development and co-marketing rights of Stimuvax®in Japan.Stimuvax is an investigational therapeutic cancer immunotherapy designed to stimulate the body's immune system to target cancer cells that express the tumor antigen MUC-1 that is in development in Phase III for patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer.

"Merck Serono is committed to building on our leadership franchise in multiple sclerosis and we are excited about adding a potential oral treatment, ONO-4641, to our pipeline," said Dr. Stefan Oschmann, President of Merck Serono. "We also believe that Ono will bring a wealth of experience in developing innovative therapies and understanding regulatory requirements in Japan."

"We are very glad to partner with Merck Serono for the development and marketing of ONO-4641, given Merck Serono's commitment to developing treatments for people living with multiple sclerosis," said Gyo Sagara, Ono's President and Representative Director. "Moreover, we are delighted to collaborate in Japan on Stimuvax and together with Merck Serono to offer a potential future medicine for people suffering from non-small cell lung cancer."

Under the terms of the agreement for ONO-4641, Merck Serono will acquire worldwide exclusive rights, excluding Japan, Korea and Taiwan, to develop and commercialize ONO-4641. Ono will receive 1.5 billion Japanese Yen (about € 14 million) as an upfront payment and could receive additional payments based on the achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones for ONO-4641. No further financial terms are disclosed. ONO-4641 is a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor agonist, and the multi-national Phase II study, DreaMS (Drug Research EvaluAtion for Multiple Sclerosis) is on-going in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Under the terms of the separate agreement for Stimuvax, Ono will receive a co-development and co-marketing license for Stimuvax in Japan and Merck Serono will receive an upfront payment of € 5 million. No further financial terms are disclosed. A Phase II study for Stimuvax (EMR63325-009) is being conducted by Merck Serono Co., Ltd., a Japanese subsidiary of Merck, for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in Japan; Phase III studies are in progress outside Japan. Merck obtained the exclusive worldwide licensing rights from Oncothyreon Inc., Seattle, Washington, USA.

About multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the central nervous system and is the most common, non-traumatic, disabling neurological disease in young adults. It is estimated that approximately two million people have MS worldwide. While symptoms can vary, the most common symptoms of MS include blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the limbs and problems with strength and coordination. The relapsing forms of MS are the most common.

About Stimuvax

Merck Serono is investigating the use of Stimuvax® (BLP25 liposome vaccine) in the treatment of NSCLC. Merck KGaA obtained the exclusive worldwide licensing rights from Oncothyreon Inc., Seattle, Washington, USA. Stimuvax is being developed in Europe by Merck Serono. In the United States and Canada, Stimuvax is being developed by EMD Serono, an affiliate of Merck.

The START study is a Phase III, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Stimuvax in subjects suffering from unresectable, stage IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have had a response or stable disease after at least two cycles of platinum-based chemo-radiotherapy. The study will involve more than 1,500 patients in approximately 30 countries. The primary endpoint of the START study is overall survival (OS).

The INSPIRE study is a Phase III, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Stimuvax in subjects suffering from unresectable, stage IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have had a response or stable disease after at least two cycles of platinum-based chemo-radiotherapy. The design of the INSPIRE study is almost identical to the START study. INSPIRE will enrol approximately 420 unresectable, stage III NSCLC patients across China, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

About Ono Pharmaceutical

Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a R&D-oriented pharmaceutical company specializing in creating innovative medicines in specific areas and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan.

For more information about Ono, visit the company's website at http://www.ono.co.jp.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated affiliate of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono has leading brands serving patients with cancer (Erbitux®, cetuximab), multiple sclerosis (Rebif®, interferon beta-1a), infertility (Gonal-f®, follitropin alfa), endocrine and metabolic disorders (Saizen® and Serostim®, somatropin), (Kuvan®, sapropterin dihydrochloride), (Egrifta^TM, tesamorelin), as well as cardiometabolic diseases (Glucophage®, metformin), (Concor®, bisoprolol), (Euthyrox®, levothyroxine). Not all products are available in all markets.

With an annual R&D expenditure of over € 1bn, Merck Serono is committed to growing its business in specialist-focused therapeutic areas including neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as new areas potentially arising out of research and development in rheumatology.

About Merck

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of € 9.3 billion in 2010, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck's operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com or http://www.merckgroup.com

Distributed by PR Newswire on behalf of Merck Serono S A

BioMarin to Host Third Quarter 2011 Financial Results Conference Call and Webcast on Thursday, October 27 at 5:00 p.m. ET

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:20:59 -0400

NOVATO, Calif., Sept. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today announced that Jean-Jacques Bienaime, Chief Executive Officer of BioMarin, will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, October 27, at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss third quarter 2011 financial results.

U.S. / Canada Dial-in Number: 877.299.4454
International Dial-in Number: 617.597.5447
Participant Code: 74745522
Replay Dial-in Number: 888.286.8010
Replay International Dial-in Number: 617.801.6888
Replay Code: 30903685

About BioMarin

BioMarin develops and commercializes innovative biopharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. The company's product portfolio comprises four approved products and multiple clinical and pre-clinical product candidates. Approved products include Naglazyme® (galsulfase) for mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI), a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; Aldurazyme® (laronidase) for mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), a product which BioMarin developed through a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme Corporation; Kuvan® (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Tablets, for phenylketonuria (PKU), developed in partnership with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany; and Firdapse™ (amifampridine), which has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome (LEMS). Product candidates include GALNS (N-acetylgalactosamine 6-sulfatase), which is currently in Phase III clinical development for the treatment of MPS IVA, amifampridine phosphate (3,4-diaminopyridine phosphate), which is currently in Phase III clinical development for the treatment of LEMS in the U.S., PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase), which is currently in Phase II clinical development for the treatment of PKU, BMN 701, a novel fusion protein of insulin-like growth factor 2 and acid alpha glucosidase (IGF2-GAA), which is currently in Phase I/II clinical development for the treatment of Pompe disease, and BMN 673, a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, which is currently in Phase I/II clinical development for the treatment of genetically-defined cancers. For additional information, please visit www.BMRN.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.

BioMarin®, Naglazyme® and Kuvan® are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Firdapse™ is a trademark of BioMarin Huxley Ltd.

Aldurazyme® is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.

Contacts:
Investors	Media
Eugenia Shen	Bob Purcell
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.	BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
(415) 506-6570	(415) 506-3267

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Pharmaron to Host Merck Serono Research and Development Laboratory in China

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:20:37 -0400

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pharmaron announced a strategic partnership with Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Germany. In the framework of this partnership, Pharmaron’s new campus in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area (BDA) will serve as home to Merck Serono’s China R&D Laboratory. The focus of this laboratory will be clinical bioanalysis and biomarker characterization, allowing for the identification of gene mutations among the Chinese population, early detection of disease processes, and development of personalized medicines for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Pharmaron, a leading integrated CRO in the US and China with expertise from discovery to IND, recently completed the first phase of its new Beijing campus, which boasts over 600,000 ft². This new campus houses Pharmaron’s elaborate drug discovery services area including chemistry, DMPK, biology, pharmacology and GLP Bioanalysis.

On August 31, 2011, Merck Serono and Pharmaron celebrated the opening ceremony of Merck Serono’s China R&D Laboratory as the beginning of this long-term collaboration between the two companies.

Dr. Boliang Lou, Pharmaron Chairman and CEO, spoke jubilantly of this strategic relationship with Merck Serono in China, “This is an important day in Pharmaron’s history. We have always envisioned building a new R&D campus and inviting the world’s top scientists to collaborate with Pharmaron. Together, with world-leading drug R&D companies, we will contribute to advance research against devastating diseases.” Dr. Lou also commented, “Today, this dream has come true. Through this unique partnership, we are providing Merck Serono with a favorable environment as well as qualified staff to lead their drug development programs for local and regional clinical trials against local diseases and unmet medical needs.”

Joining Dr. Lou and Pharmaron were senior Beijing government officials, including Deputy Mayor Mr. Zhongwen Gou, as well as a group of delegates from Merck Serono. The Merck Serono team was led by Dr. Stefan Oschmann, President of Merck Serono, Mr. Wayne Paterson, Executive Vice President of Emerging Markets of Merck Serono, Dr. Howard Sui, Managing Director of Merck Serono China, and Ms. Jenny Wu, Site Head and Chief Medical Officer of R&D of Merck Serono China.

ABOUT PHARMARON

Pharmaron is a premier R&D service provider for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Founded in 2003, Pharmaron invests in its people and facilities enabling the Company to provide high quality R&D services across a number of disciplines, including chemistry, biology, DMPK, pharmacology, chemical development and toxicology. With more than 1,400 employees and operations in China and the U.S., Pharmaron delivers superior scientific services while maintaining close communication with customers. The Company’s current clients include small and large pharmaceutical companies in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia. Pharmaron's mission is to provide the highest quality R&D services while helping customers advance their projects in a timely and cost effective manner. More information is available at www.pharmaron.com.

CONTACT:

Pharmaron
Katherine Lee, 949-788-0586
klee@pharmaron.com

KEYWORDS: United States Asia Pacific North America China California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Biotechnology Pharmaceutical

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BioMarin to Present at the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:20:33 -0400

NOVATO, Calif., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today announced that Hank Fuchs, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of BioMarin, will present a company update at the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference in New York on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:55 a.m. ET.

About BioMarin

BioMarin®, Naglazyme®, Kuvan® and Firdapse™ are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Aldurazyme® is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.

Contact:
Investors	Media
Eugenia Shen	Bob Purcell
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.	BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
(415) 506-6570	(415) 506-3267

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Merck Serono and F-Star to Collaborate in the Discovery and Development of Novel Targeted Biologics

Erica Teichert — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 07:59:52 -0400

GENEVA, Switzerland, September 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today that a research, license and commercialisation agreement was signed with F-Star GmbH, Vienna, Austria, for the discovery of new antibody-derived therapeutics against inflammatory disease targets, using F-Star's Modular Antibody Technology.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merck Serono will nominate up to three therapeutic targets and the parties will collaborate to jointly discover mono-specific Fc-based targeted biologics (Fcabs) and bi-specific IgG-based targeted biologics (mAb2) for which Merck KGaA will have exclusive worldwide development and commercialisation rights. F-Star will receive an initial technology access fee and research-based funding and is eligible to receive additional license fees, development, regulatory and commercialisation milestones which in aggregate could reach EUR 492 million, as well as undisclosed tiered royalties on product sales. Further details of the agreement were not disclosed.

"We are very pleased to see our investment in F-Star through Merck Serono Ventures mature into a strategic collaboration, which reinforces our commitment to deliver innovative treatments in the area of inflammatory diseases," said Susan Herbert, Head of Portfolio Development at Merck Serono. "We believe that F-Star's Modular Antibody Technology has the potential to offer important functional advantages over conventional antibodies and will potentially allow us to generate highly differentiated drugs for patients with so far unmet medical needs."

Dr Kevin FitzGerald, Chief executive officer of F-Star, commented, "We are very pleased to have completed this agreement with Merck Serono. Merck Serono Ventures has proved to be a supportive venture investor in F-Star and we are now excited to expand the relationship with Merck Serono to include collaborative discovery and development projects. F-Star has developed novel technology for the discovery of targeted biologics that offer significant improvements over conventional antibodies. This agreement builds on F-Star's strategy to develop and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of our proprietary technology through advancing our own pipeline as well as through a limited number of very selective research collaborations."

About f-star

F-Star is an antibody engineering company based in Vienna, Austria and Cambridge, UK. The company develops improved therapeutic antibodies and antibody fragments based on its Modular Antibody Technology, which allows the introduction of additional antigen-binding sites into antibodies and antibody fragments by engineering the non-CDR loops of antibody domains. Using Modular Antibody Technology F-Star generates antibody fragments that have full antibody functionality and long half-life but are much smaller in size (Fcab(TM)) and full-sized antibodies with additional functionality or bispecificity (mAb2(TM)). Since its founding in 2006 the company has raised approximately EUR 34 million from a syndicate comprising both venture and corporate investors: Atlas Venture, Aescap Venture, Novo Ventures, TVM Capital, Merck Serono Ventures, MP Healthcare Venture Management and SR One. The company employs 24 staff at its research sites in Vienna and Cambridge. For more information visit http://www.f-star.com.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono has leading brands serving patients with cancer (Erbitux(R), cetuximab), multiple sclerosis (Rebif(R), interferon beta-1a), infertility (Gonal-f(R), follitropin alfa), endocrine and metabolic disorders (Saizen(R) and Serostim(R), somatropin), (Kuvan(R), sapropterin dihydrochloride), (Egrifta(TM), tesamorelin), as well as cardiometabolic diseases (Glucophage(R), metformin), (Concor(R), bisoprolol), (Euthyrox(R), levothyroxine). Not all products are available in all markets.

With an annual R&D expenditure of over EUR 1bn, Merck Serono is committed to growing its business in specialist-focused therapeutic areas including neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as new areas potentially arising out of research and development in rheumatology.

About Merck

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of EUR 9.3 billion in 2010, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 40,000 employees in 67 countries. Its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck's operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. In 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & Co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com or http://www.merck.de

BioMarin to Present at the Baird Health Care Conference

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:20:28 -0400

NOVATO, Calif., Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) today announced that Jeffrey Cooper, Chief Financial Officer of BioMarin, will present a company update at the Baird Health Care Conference in New York on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. ET.

About BioMarin

BioMarin®, Naglazyme®, Kuvan® and Firdapse™ are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Aldurazyme® is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.

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Investors	Media
Eugenia Shen	Bob Purcell
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.	BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
(415) 506-6570	(415) 506-3267

SOURCE BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.