LEUVEN, Belgium, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
- Shares Acquired From Biggar Limited
ThromboGenics NV (Euronext Brussels: THR), a biotechnology company focused on eye disease, vascular disease and cancer, today announces that a group of private investors based in Belgium have together acquired an 8% stake in the Company. Their stake was purchased from Biggar Limited, a charitable foundation that is ThromboGenics largest shareholder. Biggar now holds a 9.8% stake in ThromboGenics following this transaction, and has informed the company that it intends to remain an important shareholder in ThromboGenics for the long term.
This transaction was managed by Petercam.
Prof. Desire Collen, Chairman and CEO of ThromboGenics, commenting on today's announcement, said: "We are very pleased that we have been able to attract such a group of high net worth individuals to become shareholders in ThromboGenics, particularly given their long term commitment to the Company. We are confident that we will be able to generate significant value for all our shareholders over the next several years based on the exciting prospects for microplasmin in the treatment of back of the eye disease, our other pipeline products, including TB-402 for deep vein thrombosis, as well as the significant potential that we see for TB-403 in the treatment of cancer, which was recently licensed to Roche."
About ThromboGenics
ThromboGenics is a biotechnology company focused on discovery and development of biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of a range of vascular diseases. The Company has several programs in Phase II clinical development including microplasmin, which is being evaluated as a treatment for vitreoretinal disorders and as a thrombolytic agent for vascular occlusive diseases. ThromboGenics is also developing novel antibody therapeutics in collaboration with BioInvent International; these include TB-402 (Anti-Factor VIII), scheduled to enter Phase II clinical development by the end of 2008, and TB-403 (Anti-PlGF). ThromboGenics and its development partner BioInvent, have recently signed a license agreement with Roche for TB-403 worth up to EUR500 million plus royalties. A Phase Ib clinical trial with TB-403 has recently begun in patients with late stage cancer.
ThromboGenics has built strong links with the University of Leuven and the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and has exclusive rights to certain therapeutics developed at these institutions. ThromboGenics is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium and has subsidiaries in Dublin, Ireland and New York, U.S. The Company is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Brussels under the symbol THR. More information is available at http://www.thrombogenics.com.
Important information about forward-looking statements
Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report.
SOURCE ThromboGenics NV
