Ad-hoc | 17 May 1999 08:00

Ad hoc-Service: Rhein Biotech N.V.

Ad hoc-Mitteilung verarbeitet und übermittelt durch die DGAP. Für den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent verantwortlich. —————————————————————————— Rhein Biotech enters into development of combination vaccines with two renowned vaccine producers : RIVM and Bio Farma Rhein Biotech N.V. has signed a collaboration agreement with the Dutch state owned RIVM (The National Institute of Health and the Environment, The Netherlands) and the Indonesian vaccine producer Bio Farma to incorporate Rhein Biotech’s active ingredient for Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) into a new combination vaccine for Hepatitis B, Diptheria (D) Pertussis / Whooping Cough (P) and Tetanus (T). Rhein Biotech has developed a patent protected process for highly competitive production of Hepatitis B vaccine based on the yeast Hansenula polymorpha and markets this in South America and Asia. Rhein Biotech, RIVM and Bio Farma will investigate in a pre- clinical formulation study how the vaccines can be combined in order to set up a local production site for the DTP-HBV vaccine within the framework of a large scale national vaccination program in Indonesia. The total market in South East Asia is around 40 million doses yearly. This co-operation complements Rhein Biotech’s activities in the development of new and improved vaccines. Rhein Biotech has proven that its production process for Hepatitis B surface antigen is highly competitive and the 51% joint venture Rhein Americana S.A. has been producing this active ingredient of the vaccine since 1996 in Argentina where the product is registered under the brand name “AgB”. The Asian market is being targeted by another joint venture Wockhardt Rhein Biopharm Ltd. (50%) in India which will start routine production of HBsAg this year. Rhein Biotech has incorporated a further joint venture company VidaRhein in Portugal in order to focus on future markets in Europe and Africa. RIVM has decades of experience with such combination vaccines internationally and already has a successful alliance with Bio Farma. For example in the 1960’s RIVM carried out a wide scale immunisation program for DPT-Polio in the Netherlands. RIVM actively promotes a global network of collaborating public sector vaccine manufacturers. Bio Farma, the sole national vaccine producer in Indonesia is currently producing a DTP vaccine for the entire Indonesian population. Official WHO (World Health Organisation) approval is expected this year. WHO certification has already been granted for Bio Farma’s polio and measles vaccine. More Information: Frank Ubags (Chief Financial Officer) Rhein Biotech N.V. Universiteitssingel 5a 6229 ES Maastricht (NL) Tel.: 00 31 43 3567890 rheinbiotech@wxs.nl Ende der Mitteilung