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AKZO NOBEL (ISIN : NL0000009132)
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(Euronext Amsterdam) - Akzo Nobel Pharma preparing for the future  
(27/03/06 08:13 CET)

Arnhem, the Netherlands, March 27, 2006 - Akzo Nobel’s Pharma group is aiming to deliver at least one major filing per year from its pipeline as it positions itself for solid growth.

Speaking at today’s Akzo Nobel Pharma Analyst Meeting held in London, Toon Wilderbeek-the company’s Board of Management member responsible for Pharmaceuticals-updated analysts on the status of the early and late stage pipeline of its human healthcare business and also provided an overview of its animal health business.

“The company has put considerable effort into successfully revitalizing its Pharma group to kickstart a return to solid growth,” said Wilderbeek, who is also President of Akzo Nobel’s human healthcare business, Organon.

“With four products in our core therapeutic areas currently in phase III clinical trials, two files submitted and a further eight compounds in phase II, we are working towards at least one planned major filing per year to unlock the value in our strong and promising pipeline.”

Wilderbeek added that as well as awaiting FDA approval in the United States for Implanon® (contraception) and Livial® (hormone therapy), targeted filing dates have been set for its four products currently in phase III, two of which-asenapine (mental health) and sugammadex (anesthesia)-are expected to be submitted next year.

“Asenapine, a drug for the treatment of schizophrenia and acute mania in bipolar disorder which we are developing with Pfizer, is progressing according to plan,” he said. “The clinical program is due to be completed by the end of the year, while filing with the FDA in the United States is expected early in 2007. We also expect to submit the file for sugammadex-a reversal agent used during general anesthesia-during the first half of next year.” Herm Cukier, Organon’s Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, went on to inform analysts that the company’s new fertility product (Org 36286), is planned for submission in 2008, with a new contraceptive (NOMAC/E2) expected to be filed in 2009 and an insomnia treatment (Org 50081) expected to be submitted in 2010.

Building on biotechnology and neuroscience Looking in more detail at human healthcare, analysts heard that the business will not only work to sustain leadership status in its traditional areas of gynecology (eg NuvaRing® and Livial®); fertility (Puregon Pen®/Follistim Pen®); and anesthesia (Esmeron®/Zemuron®); but will also focus on rebuilding its position in neuroscience.

“Our core indication areas provide a solid base with selected opportunities for growth, while in the medium and long-term, neuroscience provides us with interesting growth opportunities,” explained Organon’s Executive Vice President of Research and Development, David Nicholson. “We are also building a biotechnology franchise as an additional long-term growth driver with a focus on immunology and oncology.”

He added that the company will work to build a biopharmaceutical pipeline by expanding research into new biological entities (NBEs), primarily at Organon’s U.S. Research Center in Cambridge, MA, both by seeking partnerships and through strategic acquisitions.

Maintain and strengthen position as a world leader in animal health The status of Intervet’s pipeline was also highlighted, with General Manager Ruurd Stolp giving details about planned product introductions during the next few years, including new Cobactan® anti-infectives for cattle and horses and a new improved (live) horse vaccine for West Nile Disease.

As one of the top three animal healthcare companies in the world and number one in Europe, Intervet will continue to pursue growth through innovative product development, as well as through bolt-on merger and acquisition activities and selective geographical expansion. Already the world leader in animal vaccine production and strong core molecules in various therapeutic areas, the company is working towards a stable flow of new product introductions for vaccines and pharmaceuticals to further strengthen its position as a world leader.

Based on its strong IP portfolio, its state-of-the-art, in-house biotech expertise and its unique veterinary Drug Discovery program, Intervet can rely on a strong R&D pipeline. Highlights within the livestock sector include further additions to the successful Cobactan® range, based on a veterinary-specific anti-infective compound with a broad set of claims in a variety of species. In Companion Animal segments, the company will further expand its vaccine ranges with an extended duration-of-immunity claim, as well as with various pharmaceutical specialties to treat metabolic diseases.

Nobilon: bridging expertise By bridging the fields of expertise at both animal and human healthcare, analysts heard that Nobilon will be able to effectively transfer Intervet’s vaccine technology and experience to human healthcare. The cost efficient production of vaccines through cell culture, plus the clinical and regulatory expertise of Organon, will give Nobilon a strong position in the areas of influenza and other respiratory vaccine development. After completing in vitro and toxicological testing, Nobilon is now preparing the next phase of development to determine the safety and efficacy of its first flu vaccine in humans.

With regard to its capability to upscale production, Nobilon-which received European approval last year to manufacture both animal and human vaccines-recently produced 30 million poultry flu doses per 2,000 liter fermentor in one week using cell tissue growth technology, during a test on upscaling.

Wilderbeek concluded: “After several years of reshaping the businesses of Akzo Nobel Pharma, we are standing on the threshold of an exciting new era and have a clear ambition to increase profitability and move forward through solid growth.”

Note for the editor Akzo Nobel is a Global Fortune 500 company and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ stock exchanges. It is also included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes and the FTSE4 Good Index. Based in the Netherlands, we are a multicultural organization serving customers throughout the world with human and animal healthcare products, coatings, and chemicals. We employ around 61,500 people and conduct our activities in four segments - human and animal health, coatings and chemicals - subdivided into 13 business units, with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. Consolidated revenues for 2005 totaled EUR 13.0 billion. The financial results for the first quarter will be published on April 20, 2006.

Organon-with shared head offices in Roseland, NJ, USA and Oss, The Netherlands-creates, manufactures and markets innovative prescription medicines that improve the health and quality of human life. Through a combination of independent growth and business partnerships, Organon strives to remain or become one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies in each of its core therapeutic fields: fertility, gynecology, anesthesia and neuroscience. Research areas also include immunology and oncology. Organon products are sold in over 100 countries, of which more than 60 have an Organon subsidiary. Organon-which employs 14,100 people and had revenues of EUR 2,425 million in 2005-is the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel. Intervet, a business unit of Akzo Nobel, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, with revenues of EUR 1,094 million in 2005, is dedicated to research and development, production and marketing of innovative animal health products. Intervet’s product range-for use in livestock, companion animals, poultry and fish-includes vaccines, antiparasitics, anti-infectives, endocrine products and other pharmaceutical specialties. Intervet operates globally with its own marketing organizations. The company currently employs around 5,300 people. Nobilon was founded in 2003, with production and R&D facilities in Boxmeer and Oss, the Netherlands, and is dedicated to develop, produce and market human vaccines. Nobilon’s focus is in respiratory and traveller’s diseases and one of its core expertises is in large scale cell culture technology for the production of influenza viruses. The current number of employees in production and R&D totals around 70. Internet: www.akzonobel.com Not for publication - for more information Akzo Nobel nv Corporate Media Relations, tel. +31 26 366 43 43 Contact: Marc Michelsen Safe Harbor Statement* This presentation contains forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, strategy, results of operations and business, product development and the market for certain products of Organon, Intervet and Nobilon, the Pharma business units of Akzo Nobel and certain of the plans and objectives of Akzo Nobel with respect to these items. In particular, among other statements, certain statements with regard to strategy, management objectives, including return on investment targets, market trends, market standing, market share estimates of management, market size, growth strategy and growth rates, research and development initiatives, the Pharma pipeline including information on regulatory filing and product launch dates, product development and approvals and the patent protection of certain products as well as financial objectives such as return on capital are forward-looking in nature. Stated competitive positions are based on management estimates supported by information provided by specialized external agencies. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Such statements should be carefully considered, and it should be understood that there are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, levels of business spending in major economies (as well as other developments in the economies of our markets), the development in market value of pension plan assets, governmental regulations, progress of drug development, clinical testing and regulatory approval, changes in customer needs, price fluctuations, the levels of marketing expenditures by Akzo Nobel and its competitors, the introduction of new products by competitors, raw material and employee costs, future foreign exchange and interest rates, changes in tax rates and product regulation, future business combinations, acquisitions or dispositions, physical and environmental risks, environmental liabilities and the outcome of tax disputes, antitrust investigations, potential product liability claims and other lawsuits, and wars and acts of terrorism or sabotage.  For a more comprehensive discussion of the risk factors affecting our business please see our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, a copy of which can be found on the company’s corporate website www.akzonobel.com. The 2005 Annual Report on Form 20-F will be available at the end of the second quarter of 2006. * Pursuant to the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995 OtherThis press release and the information contained herein is not being issued in the United States of America and may not be distributed in the United States of America. This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. It is not intended that any offering of securities be registered in the United States.

 

Bron : Akzo Nobel   Provider : Euronext NV