Johnson & Johnson and Crucell Announce Strategic Collaboration to Develop Therapies for Influenza Prevention and Treatment

30-09-2009: Johnson & Johnson and Crucell N.V. announced that Johnson & Johnson, through its subsidiary Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Crucell have entered into a strategic collaboration focusing on the discovery, development and commercialization of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of influenza and other infectious and non-infectious diseases.

The immediate focus of the collaboration will be the development and commercialization of a universal monoclonal antibody product (flu-mAb) for the treatment and prevention of influenza. The focus of the long-term innovation collaboration will be on new discovery programs leading to the development and commercialization of a universal influenza vaccine as well as the development of monoclonal antibodies and/or vaccines directed against up to three other infectious and non-infectious disease targets.

Johnson & Johnson, through its affiliate JHC Nederland B.V., has also purchased 14.6 million newly issued ordinary shares of Crucell, representing approximately 18% of Crucell's outstanding ordinary shares, for an aggregate purchase price of € 301.8 million. In addition, the companies have agreed to development milestones and royalty payments based on the successful development and commercialization of products in connection with the collaboration.

Under the flu-mAb collaboration, Crucell and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals or its affiliates will share responsibilities to develop a universal flu-mAb product targeting all influenza A strains, including H1N1 strains (which cause seasonal flu and the current pandemic) and the H5N1 or avian strain ('bird flu'). Crucell will be responsible for research and development through Phase IIa of the influenza antibodies it has already discovered, as well as newly discovered influenza antibodies that emerge from the collaboration. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals or its affiliates will be responsible for late-stage development of the flu-mAb product from Phase IIb onward.

Under the long-term innovation collaboration, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals or its affiliates and Crucell will jointly work to discover and develop a universal flu vaccine for the prevention of influenza, as well as antibody and/or vaccine products against up to three additional infectious or non-infectious disease targets to be selected after exploratory research.

Both collaborations will leverage the vaccine/antibody know-how and technology platforms of Crucell and the broad scientific and development expertise of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates.

Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals will hold commercialization rights for products resulting from both collaborations in all countries throughout the world with the exception of the European Union and certain additional European countries, where Crucell will retain commercialization rights. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals' commercialization rights for products emerging from the innovation collaboration may be expanded worldwide if Crucell elects not to contribute toward development.