Eurofins To Expand Portfolio to Include Antiviral Drug Resistance Assays
Brussels/Memphis/Paris, November 8, 2005
Eurofins Scientific, Inc. (ESI), Memphis, TN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific, SA has agreed in principle to acquire the VIRalliance(VIR) diagnostics business of BioAlliance Pharma, SA, Paris, France, a late stage biopharmaceutical company focused on drug resistance. The transaction is expected to close prior the end of the calendar year, and complements Eurofins' rapidly-growing testing portfolio which supports the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and addresses the needs of medical professionals. As part of the transaction, VIR will relocate its business to North America.
VIRalliance develops and markets drug resistance diagnostics and is a pioneer in the development of phenotypic antiviral drug resistance assays. The prevalence of drug resistance in HIV infection and Hepatitis has risen dramatically in recent years with an ever increasing number of drug experienced and naïve patients being infected with drug resistant or multi-drug resistant viral strains. The analysis of drug resistance plays a critical role in optimizing therapeutic regimens and in drug development. VIRalliance's products, PHENOSCRIPT and VIROSCRIPT offer an immediate entry to the growing resistance testing market for companies marketing HIV diagnostic tests, related clinical services or drug development organizations.
"We are excited about the addition of VIRalliance resistance diagnostics to our testing portfolio," said Thomas W. Burnell, CEO of Eurofins Scientific, Inc., "And we look forward to providing healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies with these assays to help guide the selection of appropriate treatment regimens and for use in the development of new products to treat HIV, hepatitis and other serious diseases."
"This divestiture of VIRalliance to Eurofins will allow BioAlliance to focus on development of innovative therapeutics and better position the company for future growth," said Gilles Avenard, M.D., chief operating officer of BioAlliance Pharma and president of VIRalliance.
For additional company background, please visit the BioAlliance Pharma website at: www.BioAlliancepharma.com.
Company Contact |
Media Contact |
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Gilles Avenard Chief Operating Officer BioAlliance Pharma SA Tel: +33 (0) 1 45 58 76 02 gilles.avenard@bioalliancepharma.com |
Andrew Lloyd & Associates Andrew Lloyd allo@ala.com Tel: +44 1 273 675100 Gilles Petitot gilles@ala.com Tel: +33 1 56 54 07 00 |
For further information regarding Eurofins please visit www.eurofins.com or contact:
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Dr. Stefan Eckhoff (International Investor Relations) Tél : +32-2-766 16 20 E-mail : ir@eurofins.com |
Hugues Vaussy (Investor Relations France) Tél: +33-(0)2-51 83 21 00 E-mail: irFrance@eurofins.com |
Notes for the editor:
VIRalliance
VIRalliance develops and markets drug resistance diagnostics and is a pioneer in the development of phenotypic antiviral drug resistance assays. The prevalence of drug resistance in HIV infection and hepatitis has risen dramatically in recent years with an ever increasing number of drug-experienced and naïve patients being infected with drug resistant or multi-drug resistant viral strains. The analysis of drug resistance plays a critical role in optimizing therapeutic regimens and in drug development. VIRalliance's products, PHENOSCRIPT and VIROSCRIPT offer an immediate entry to the growing resistance testing market for companies marketing HIV diagnostic tests, related clinical services or drug development organizations.
BioAlliance Pharma
BioAlliance Pharma is a privately held late stage biopharmaceutical company specialized in the development of innovative therapeutics focused on drug resistance, notably by improving their delivery and the treatment of certain pathologies with unmet medical needs. The Company develops innovative therapeutics targeting markets in cancer, HIV, severe infections and supportive care. The company has two broad proprietary drug delivery systems represented by the Lauriad® adhesive technology and the Transdrug® nanoparticle technology that provide multiple product opportunities. Together with a New Chemical Entities program focused on development of new drugs in oncology and HIV, the company is positioned to potentially address worldwide markets in the EU, US, and Asia.
The company's lead product within its adhesive technology program, the miconazole Lauriad® 50 mg Bioadhesive Buccal Tablet, is currently in registration in the EU following completion of two Phase III trials for treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) in cancer and HIV patients. Under a recently allowed IND, a pivotal Phase III trial in HIV-positive patients with OPC is expected to initiate in the US in 2006. A Phase I/II trial in primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC) utilizing the company's doxorubicin Transdrug® nanoparticle delivery technology is ongoing in Europe, and has been granted orphan drug status by the EMEA and the US FDA.
Eurofins - a global leader in bio-analysis
Eurofins Scientific is a life sciences company operating internationally to provide a comprehensive range of analytical testing services to clients from a wide range of industries including the pharmaceutical, food and environmental sectors.
With over 2,800 staff in more than 50 laboratories across 15 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 10,000 reliable analytical methods for evaluating the authenticity, origin, safety, identity, composition and purity of biological substances and products. The Group is committed to provide its customers with high quality services, accurate results in time and, if requested, expert advice by our highly qualified staff.
The Eurofins Group is one of the global market leaders in this field of applied life sciences. It intends to pursue its dynamic growth strategy and expand both, its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D, in-licensing and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.
As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international player in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the demands of regulatory authorities around the world.
The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on Euronext in the Paris (ISIN FR0000038259) and Frankfurt (WKN 910251) Stock Exchanges (Reuters EUFI.LN, Bloomberg ERSC FP, ESF, EUFI.DE).
Important disclaimer:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements and estimates that involve risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements and estimates contained herein represent the judgment of Eurofins Scientific as of the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees for future performance, and the forward-looking events discussed in this release may not occur. Eurofins Scientific disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements and estimates. All statements and estimates are made based on the data available to the Company as of the date of publication, but no guarantee can be made as to their validity.