Medivir and Chiron in research collaboration regarding future HIV drugs
Medivir and Chiron in research collaboration regarding future HIV drugs Chiron Corp, Emeryville, California and Medivir AB, Huddinge, Sweden has signed an agreement regarding a joint research program on new HIV/AIDS drugs. Medivir has world class competense in antiviral resarch. The company has already developed substanses active against the HIV virus. Recently it was announced that Medivir licenced an HIV compound on exclusive worldwide basis to Chiron. Now the collaboration is widend to include a funded research program during two years on future HIV/AIDS drugs. This new agreement can bring a total of 4 MUSD to Medivir. Medivir acquires new technology. Medivir AB will now acquire access to combinatorial chemistry technology from Chiron. This new technology facilitates lead optimisation. This new technology will advance Medivir capabilities in more efficient drug development. Chiron Corp is one of the leading companies within the field of combinatorial chemistry development. Now the collaboration between the two companies is further extended to also include transfer of this technology. Researchers from Medivir will be trained at Chiron. Medivir is a research and development company with the business concept of developing new and improved substances for the treatment of infectious diseases. Medivir´s research and development initiatives are concentrated on developing new chemical substances that inhibit the enzymes polymerase and protease. These two enzymes are pre-requisites for the propagation of virtually all viruses, funghi, parasites and bacteria. Experience in the area of polymerase and protease consequently provides Medivir with the opportunity to develop new pharmaceutical substances active against various infectious diseases. At present, the research projects are primarily focused on substances active against diseases caused by viruses that cause shingles, herpes, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Chiron Corporation, headquarted in Emeryville, California, is a leading biotechnology company that participates in three global healthcare markets: therapeutics, blood testing and vaccines. Chiron also conducts research and development in the field of recombinant technology, novel vaccines, gene therapy, small molecule discovery and genomics. Huddinge January 11th 1999 Jonas Frick President and CEO Medivir AB For further information please contact Jonas Frick, President or Anna Bernsten, Vice President Business Development and Investor Relations at Medivir +46-8-6083100 For more information about Medivir: www.medivir.se For more information about Chiron: www.chiron.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/11/19990111BIT00020/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/11/19990111BIT00020/bit0002.pdf