Libourne, France and Berlin, Germany  - March 8, 2012

Ceva Santé Animale (Ceva) and ProBioGen announced the signature of a multi-product license agreement for the use of ProBioGen’s AGE1.CR® avian cell line in the industrial production of viral animal vaccines. In a preceding pilot study Ceva evaluated the technology, which allows cells to grow rapidly and in high cell densities in ProBioGen’s proprietary chemically defined medium. Master cell banking for one viral vaccine strain has been completed and further development projects are underway.
Volker Sandig, Chief Scientific Officer of ProBioGen, is convinced that, “this agreement is the result of an excellent collaboration and is based on a mutual focus on technologically optimized biopharmaceutical manufacturing. We are pleased that Ceva as an expert vaccine producer decided to work with us on our AGE1.CR® cell line. We are looking very much forward to further broaden the cooperation between our scientists in accomplishing additional goals.”

Marc Prikazsky, Ceva’s Chairman and CEO said “This type of scientific and industrial partnership with ProBioGen is an excellent example of how we hope to develop collaboration with genuinely innovative partners in our mission to go ’Together, beyond animal health’.”

An undisclosed number of animal vaccines are to be evaluated on the AGE1.CR® cell line. The commercial license includes milestone and royalty payments. Financial details were not disclosed.

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About the AGE1.CR® Cell Line
AGE1.CR® is an immortalized cell line derived from primary cells of a Muscovy Duck. The cell line was created as a platform for replacing primary chicken cells for production of vaccines and hyper-attenuated viruses in chemically defined media and suspension cultures. In addition, AGE1.CR® cells are also suitable for the generation of trans-complementing helper or packaging cell lines to support efficient production of replication-restricted viral vectors. (See e.g. Biologicals. 2011 Jan;39(1):50-8 “A chemically defined production process for highly attenuated poxviruses”)
 
About ProBioGen – www.probiogen.de
ProBioGen is an internationally operating technology provider and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with almost 20 years of experience in cell culture, process development, and GMP-manufacturing. ProBioGen, with its scientific excellence and strong intellectual property base, is a competent and reliable CDMO partner, offering customized solutions for even the most challenging development and manufacturing requirements. This is backed by the company’s established, fee-for-service-based CHO cell and media platform, its GlymaxX® ADCC enhancement technology and its AGE1® family of animal and human designer cell lines. All services and technologies are embedded in a total quality management system to assure compliance with international ISO and GMP standards (EMA/FDA).

ProBioGen was founded 1994 and is located in Berlin, Germany.

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