1st July 2002
Exelixis signs a non-exclusive license with Cancer Research Ventures, UK.
Cancer Research Ventures ("CRV") announced today that it had signed a non-exclusive license with Exelixis, Inc, USA for the rights to two patent families relating to the use of certain transposon-based technologies, which can be used to transfer DNA across the species barrier. The technology was jointly developed by the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam and Crucell, bv, Leiden (formerly IntroGene).
CRV was pivotal in mediating a mutually acceptable revenue sharing agreement between the two inventing parties and assigned in the intellectual property to act as the exploitation partner on their behalf. CRV ensures that all revenues received from licensing the invention are returned to both parties in a proportion reflecting their contribution to the invention.
Simon Youlton, the project manager responsible for this technology at CRV said that he "was expecting this to be the first non-exclusive license to a technology that will have considerable utility to any company wishing to validate gene targets in various different animal models. It may also prove to be a very versatile system for the construction of gene delivery vehicles for research and possibly gene therapy".
CRV's CEO, Dr. Guy Wood-Gush added that "this validates the international role CRV plays in facilitating the transfer of key technologies for the benefit of future developments in the pharmaceutical industry whilst ensuring the inventors and their respective institutions are adequately rewarded for their efforts".
For further information please contact:
Cancer Research Ventures Ltd
Simon Youlton, Senior Business Manager Tel: +44 (0)20 7291 3600
Notes to Editors:
Cancer Research Ventures (CRV)
CRV is an independent technology transfer company that invests resources, and research money into patenting and developing exciting cancer related intellectual property with a view to partnering industry or forming start-ups to bring new therapeutics to market. CRV has a pedigree history having originally been set up out of the Cancer Research Campaign which has now joined forces with the Imperial Cancer Research Fund to form the largest cancer research funder in the UK, Cancer Research UK. CRV operates and offers its services on a 'no commercialisation - no fee' basis for academic institutes across Europe and Asia.
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is the world's largest independent cancer research organisation. It was formed in February 2002 as a result of a merger between the UK's two leading cancer research charities, Imperial Cancer Research Fund and The Cancer Research Campaign. With a team of 3,000 scientists, research doctors and nurses and an annual scientific spend of more than £130 million, it has a mission to conquer cancer through world class research.
Website: www.cancerresearchuk.org
Exelixis, Inc.
Exelixis is a leading genomics-based drug discovery company focused on the discovery and development of innovative new drugs for major human diseases. Through its integrated biological platform and expertise in comparative genomics and model system genetics, Exelixis is able to find novel, proprietary drug targets that would be difficult or impossible to uncover using other approaches. Internally, Exelixis has built an aggressive high-throughput screening and chemistry facility in order to accelerate these targets through the drug discovery process to develop effective new therapies for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Exelixis' partners use these targets as the basis for new drugs for a variety of diseases including diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.
Website: www.exelixis.com
The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NCI)
Based in Amsterdam under the direction of Prof. Anton Berns, NCI along with the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital is an integrated cancer institute, combining hospital and research laboratories under one roof in a single independent organisation. The laboratory covers all major areas of cancer research with special emphasis on mouse tumour models, mouse (reverse) genetics, cell biology, immunology and translational research. In 2000, the institute established a new 300m2 micro-array facility. The NCI has more than 250 full time research staff.
Website: www.nki.nl
Crucell
Crucell was formed through the merger between IntroGene B.V and U-BiSys B.V., two Netherlands based companies, on June 30, 2000. Crucell, a leading biotechnology company, develops biopharmaceuticals that are in tune with the human body, by making them 'as human as possible' (huMADETM). Crucell's focus is on human antibody-based therapeutics for treatment of cancer, and inflammatory diseases and on human vaccines for the prevention and treatment of influenza and other infectious diseases. Furthermore, Crucell discovers unique drug targets on diseased cells.
Website: www.crucell.nl
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