Active Biotech and OXiGENE enter into research collaboration within the field of inflammatory diseases
Active Biotech and OXiGENE enter into research collaboration within the field of inflammatory diseases Active Biotech AB and OXiGENE have today signed an agreement to establish research collaboration within the field of inflammatory diseases. The cornerstones of the agreement consist of the patented anti-inflammatory properties of OXiGENE's benzamide technology and Active Biotech's extensive knowledge and research within the relevant sector. As a first step, the aim of the collaboration is to evaluate the potential of the benzamide technology for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and, as a second step, to develop this potential further. The research will be carried out at Active Biotech Research in Lund, Sweden, and will be led by Tomas Leanderson, newly appointed Head of Pre-clinical Research at Active Biotech. If the first step, which is scheduled to be completed one year from now, is successful it is the intention of the parties to jointly develop the identified drug candidates further. "In my previous position, as Professor of Immunology at Lund University, I have together with Professor Ronald Pero, OXiGENE's Chief Scientific Officer, studied the anti-inflammatory properties of the benzamides and nicotinamides for some years. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to continue this research within Active Biotech," says Tomas Leanderson. "We are very pleased to be entering into research collaboration with OXiGENE in order to evaluate the potential of these new substances within one of our fields of competence, namely inflammatory diseases," comments Sven Andréasson, President and CEO of Active Biotech. Active Biotech AB (publ) Sven Andréasson President and CEO For further information, please contact: Pia Jansäter, Head of Information, Tel. +46 46 19 20 00 Active Biotech AB is a Swedish biotechnology company, which concentrates upon research and development of pharmaceuticals and vaccines. We have an extensive project portfolio and considerable financial resources. Sales for the biotechnology sector of Active Biotech amounted to approx. SEK 259 million in 1998 and the number of employees was 317. A total of 185 researchers in Lund, Solna, Sweden, and Cambridge, UK, develop vaccines against tourist diarrhoea, cholera, polio and streptococcal infections, as well as conducting research into medicines against, among other things, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, cancer and asthma. Active Biotech AB, Box 724, 220 07 Lund, Tel. +46 46-19 20 00, email: info@activebiotech.com Home page: www.activebiotech.com. Org. no. 556223-9227 ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/06/16/19990616BIT00600/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/06/16/19990616BIT00600/bit0002.pdf