Lausanne, Switzerland, September 15, 2005 – Debiopharm S.A., the independent drug development company specialising in oncology, endocrinology, CNS and niche products announced today the integration of its fully owned affiliate Debiovision, formerly known as H3 Pharma, a Quebec-based company focusing on the development of specialty pharmaceuticals into the Debio Group, following the purchase of all the outstanding shares of H3 Pharma in May 2005. Debiovision complements the existing synergistic companies in the Debio Group: Debiopharm, Debioinnovation and Debio R.P. in Switzerland and Debioclinic in France.
Founded in 2001, Debiovision will build on Debio’s proven drug development business model, with a focus on the development and world-wide registration of specialty pharmaceuticals. In addition, Debiovision will provide support to and work in synergy with the Group on development and regulatory activities in North America. In particular, Debiovision will enable the Group to optimise its Phase I clinical trial activities in Canada. Debiovision has three products in its pipeline including Sanvar™, which was submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and received an approvable letter in December 2004, and SC-1 and PAM-1, two fully human monoclonal antibodies.
Rolland-Yves Mauvernay, President and CEO of Debiopharm said, “Having Debiovision is an important asset for Debio’s drug development activities and a presence in North America will enhance our worldwide capability. We are proud of our motivated and capable staff at Debiovision and of their accomplishments with Sanvar™ at the US FDA. The future for Debio is excellent.”
Loïc Maurel, CEO of Debiovision said, “We are very pleased to be able to contribute to the success of an enterprise as dynamic as the Debio Group and to have the opportunity to cooperate with our sister companies there to develop and register our specialty products for markets around the world.”
Debiovision is actively negotiating out-licensing agreements for Sanvar™ with US, Asian and Latin American partners and is beginning out-licensing discussions in Europe in conjunction with the preparation of the European filing. Sanvar™ is for the treatment of acute esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB) secondary to portal hypertension.
Debio’s new Quebec-based affiliate is also undertaking out-licensing activities for two fully human monoclonal antibodies, SC-1 for stomach cancer and PAM-1 for adenocarcinomas, including pancreatic cancer.
About Debiopharm
Founded in 1979 in Lausanne, Switzerland, Debiopharm is an experienced and competent drug development company that in-licenses compounds with promising in-vivo results to develop for global registration and to out-license to sales and marketing pharmaceutical partners.
Debiopharm is part of an established group of five complementary and synergistic companies, namely Debiovision in Canada, Debioinnovation and Debio R.P. in Switzerland and Debioclinic in France. Together, they provide drug development expertise and know-how from the evaluation of early-stage and innovative research, partnering, financing, pre-clinical and clinical trials to manufacturing and sophisticated drug-delivery systems.
Debiopharm has developed and registered three products with combined sales in excess of $1.8bn 2004: Eloxatin®, one of sanofi-aventis’ leading marketed products; Decapeptyl®, the leading product of Ipsen; and Trelstar® (1-and 3-month), marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. For more information on Debiopharm and the Debio companies, please visit: www.debio.com.