Crucell Sells Stake in Pevion Biotech
LEIDEN, NETHERLANDS -- Nov 12, 2007 -- Dutch biotechnology company Crucell today announced that Berna Biotech AG, its wholly owned subsidiary, has sold all the 2.9 million shares it owned in Pevion Biotech Ltd, Bern (Switzerland) to other shareholders of Pevion Biotech. This number of shares represents 36 percent of Pevion Biotech's capital and results in net proceeds for Crucell of approximately CHF 10 million (EUR 6 million).
"This transaction is further proof that we are committed to focus on the strengths of our core business", said Crucell's Chief Financial Officer, Leonard Kruimer.
About Crucell
Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) is a biotechnology company focused on research, development and worldwide marketing of vaccines and antibodies that prevent and treat infectious diseases. Its vaccines are sold in public and private markets worldwide. Crucell's core portfolio includes a vaccine against hepatitis B, a fully-liquid vaccine against five important childhood diseases, and a virosome-adjuvanted vaccine against influenza. Crucell also markets travel vaccines, such as the only oral anti-typhoid vaccine, an oral cholera vaccine and the only aluminium-free hepatitis A vaccine on the market. The Company has a broad pipeline, with several products based on its unique PER.C6® production technology in development. The Company licenses this and other technologies to the biopharmaceutical industry. Important partners and licensees include DSM Biologics, sanofi aventis, Novartis, Wyeth and Merck & Co. Crucell is headquartered in Leiden (the Netherlands), with subsidiaries in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Korea and the US. The Company employs over a 1000 people. For more information, please visit www.crucell.com.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We have identified certain important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such forward-looking statements. For information relating to these factors please refer to our Form 20-F, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 13, 2007, and the section entitled "Risk Factors". The Company prepares its financial statements under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with reconciliation to the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (US GAAP).