Beckman Coulter and Corixa Enter Technology Cross-License Agreement
FULLERTON, Calif. & SEATTLE--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 27, 2002-- Beckman Coulter, Inc. (NYSE:BEC - news) and Corixa Corporation (Nasdaq:CRXA - news) announced today they have entered into a cross-licensing agreement. Under the agreement, Beckman Coulter has granted Corixa a sub-license to its proprietary MHC Tetramer technology for use in pre-clinical research. In return, Beckman Coulter receives licensing fees. Corixa has agreed to purchase Beckman Coulter iTAg(TM) MHC Tetramers to support their clinical trials. Also under the agreement, Corixa has granted Beckman Coulter a license to certain patented technology, which Beckman Coulter intends to use in the development of MHC Tetramers for autoimmune disease diagnostics. In return, Corixa will receive royalty payments on any sales of products developed using the licensed technology.
Corixa plans to use Tetramer technology in the discovery and development of new therapies across a broad spectrum of diseases including cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. ``We develop immunotherapies to treat and prevent diseases by directing the immune system,'' said Steven Gillis, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer at Corixa Corporation. ``Tetramers identify and monitor T cells and their role in this dynamic process.''
``The agreement represents strategic value to both Corixa and Beckman Coulter,'' said Bonnie Anderson, vice president and director of Beckman Coulter's Immunomics Operations. ``Beckman Coulter is now in a position to accelerate our immune response programs to address autoimmune disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis.''
Beckman Coulter is an exclusive licensee of MHC Tetramer technology from Stanford University. iTAg MHC Tetramers are research use only products which enable accurate, ex vivo, quantitative analysis of T cells. Research documented in over 400 publications illustrates that Tetramers have been used successfully to accurately and efficiently monitor T-cell responses such as those generated by vaccines and therapeutic interventions, as well as T-cell responses associated with viral and parasitic infections, cancer, autoimmune diseases and complications with transplant patients caused by infectious diseases.
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
Beckman Coulter, Inc. is a global biomedical company, headquartered in Fullerton, California. The company develops and markets instruments, chemistries, software and supplies that simplify and automate laboratory processes throughout the biomedical testing continuum. Through pioneering medical research and drug discovery, specialty testing, and patient care diagnostics, Beckman Coulter supports all phases of the battle against disease. Annual sales for the company totaled $2 billion in 2001, with 62% of this amount generated by recurring revenue from supplies, chemistry kits and services. For more information, visit www.beckmancoulter.com. More information about iTAg MHC Tetramer technology is available at www.immunomics.com.
Corixa Corporation
Corixa is a developer of immunotherapeutics with a commitment to treating and preventing autoimmune diseases, cancer and infectious diseases by understanding and directing the immune system. Corixa is focused on immunotherapeutic products and has a broad technology platform enabling both fully integrated vaccine design and the use of its separate, proprietary product components on a stand-alone basis. Corixa currently has 16 programs in clinical development and 22 programs in preclinical development. For more information, please visit Corixa's Website at www.corixa.com or call the company's investor relations information line at 877/4CORIXA or 877/426-7492.
Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information presented, certain matters discussed in this press release, including statements about future product development are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the time the statements are made. They are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Actual results could differ from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, some of which may be beyond the control of Beckman Coulter and Corixa. Factors that could affect actual results include, but are not limited to the failure of the licensed technology to result in any products. Other risk factors are described in Corixa's and Beckman Coulter's SEC filings.
Note to Editors: Beckman Coulter is an exclusive licensee for the following patents: US Patent Number 5,635,363 Inventors: J.D. Altman, M.G. McHeyzer-Williams and Mark M. Davis. Compositions and methods for the detection, quantitation and purification of antigen-specific T cells. French Application Number FR9911133. Inventor: F. Lang. Means for detecting and for the purifying CD8+ T-lymphocyte populations specific for peptides presented in the HLA context.
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Contact:
Beckman Coulter, Inc., Fullerton
Jeanie Herbert (investor relations), 714/773-7620
or
Beckman Coulter's Immunomics Operations
Stacy Prager (marketing), 858/621-4738
or
Corixa Corporation
Jim DeNike, 206/754-5716 |
