Collaboration Creates the "Ipsen Life Sciences Program" at the Salk Institute
Regulatory News:
Ipsen (Paris:IPN) and The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
announced today that they will be signing a memorandum of
understanding setting the framework for the creation of the Ipsen Life
Sciences Program at The Salk Institute. The mission of the partnership
is to advance knowledge in the field of proliferative and degenerative
diseases through fundamental and applied biology research.
The Ipsen Life Sciences Program will, for a period of up to five
years, sponsor three categories of research programs through targeted,
core and innovation grants. Ipsen will provide funding for targeted
research programs carried out at The Salk Institute by researchers in
the field of proliferative diseases with a particular emphasis on
novel therapeutic concepts for the treatment of pituitary adenomas.
Core grants will support basic research on the contribution of chronic
inflammation to malignant diseases such as cancer, loss of cognitive
functions, movement disorders and metabolic syndromes. Innovation
grants will fund the exploration of advanced scientific concepts.
Jean-Luc Belingard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ipsen,
stated: "We are very pleased to have reached this major agreement with
one of the leading research institutions in the world, with which
Ipsen has had a longstanding relationship. This agreement confirms
Ipsen´s commitment to innovation and research, and reaffirms the
company´s capacity to work with leading worldwide academic centers of
excellence, both in Europe and in the U.S., to transform knowledge
into therapies."
"We are delighted about the establishment of Ipsen Life sciences
Program at The Salk Institute, which will allow us to advance our
ongoing research in the areas of cancer biology, mechanisms of
degenerative diseases and the growing epidemic of maladies associated
with metabolic syndrome", said Nobel Laureate Dr. Roger Guillemin,
interim President of the Salk Institute."
Ipsen´s presence in the US dates back to 1976. Its research center
located near Boston, MA specializes in the engineering of protein and
peptide hormones for therapeutic uses. The center´s primary objective
is to seek in-depth knowledge of hormone dependent pathophysiological
mechanisms as a basis for the conception of novel medicines. In March
2005, at the same site as the research center, Ipsen inaugurated a new
bioprocess science unit dedicated to the engineering of proteins for
therapeutic purposes.
About The Salk Institute
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California,
is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to fundamental
discoveries in the life sciences, the improvement of human health and
the training of future generations of researchers. Jonas Salk, M.D.,
whose polio vaccine all but eradicated the crippling disease
poliomyelitis in 1955, opened the Institute in 1965 with a gift of
land from the City of San Diego and the financial support of the March
of Dimes.
About Ipsen
Ipsen is an innovation driven international specialty
pharmaceutical group with over 20 products on the market and a total
worldwide staff of nearly 4,000. The company´s development strategy is
based on a combination of products in targeted therapeutic areas
(oncology, endocrinology and neuromuscular disorders) which are growth
drivers, and primary care products which contribute significantly to
its research financing. This strategy is also supported by an active
policy of partnerships. The location of its four Research and
Development centres (Paris, Boston, Barcelona, London) gives the Group
a competitive edge in gaining access to leading university research
teams and highly qualified personnel. In 2006, R&D expenditure was EUR
178.3 million, i.e. 20.7% of consolidated sales, which amounted to EUR
861.7 million while total revenues amounted to EUR 945.3 million (in
IFRS). 700 people in R&D are dedicated to the discovery and
development of innovative drugs for patient care. Ipsen´s shares are
traded on Segment A of Eurolist by Euronext(TM) (stock code: IPN, ISIN
code: FR0010259150). Ipsen´s shares are eligible to the "Service de
Reglement Differe" ("SRD") and the Group is part of the SBF 120 index.
For more information on Ipsen, visit our website at www.ipsen.com.
Ipsen Forward-Looking Statements
The forward-looking statements and targets contained herein are
based on Ipsen´s management´s current views and assumptions. Such
statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from
those anticipated herein. Moreover, the Research and Development
process involves several stages at each of which there is a
substantial risk that the Group will fail to achieve its objectives
and be forced to abandon its efforts in respect of a product in which
it has invested significant sums. Thus, in order to develop a product
which is viable from a commercial point of view, the Group must
demonstrate, by means of pre-clinical and human clinical trials, that
the molecules are effective and not dangerous to human beings.
Therefore, the Group cannot be certain that favourable results
obtained during pre-clinical trials will be confirmed subsequently
during clinical trials, or that the results of clinical trials will be
sufficient to demonstrate the safe and effective nature of the product
concerned, or that the regulatory authorities will be satisfied with
the data and the information provided by the Company. Ipsen expressly
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any
forward looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this
press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions
or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so
required by applicable law. Ipsen´s business is subject to the risk
factors outlined in its information documents filed with the French
Autorite des marches financiers.
