Ipsen and bioMérieux enter into a broad partnership in personalized medicine

Paris and Marcy l'Etoile, France - February 25, 2011. The two companies leverage combined expertise in therapeutics and in diagnostics to improve patient care

Paris (France) and Marcy l’Etoile (France), 25 February 2011 – Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) and bioMérieux (Euronext: BIM) today announced that they have entered into a partnership to create a global collaboration in theranostics, with a focus on hormone-dependent cancers. The two companies have signed a framework agreement to leverage their expertise and resources to develop a personalized approach to medicine based on Ipsen’s broad portfolio of innovative compounds and bioMérieux’s diagnostic tests.

Both companies will jointly identify programs that would benefit from the co-development of a therapeutic and a companion diagnostic test, notably in the prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancers, neuro-endocrine tumors (NETs) and pituitary tumors.

This novel partnership emphasizes Ipsen’s and bioMérieux’s expertise in the emerging field of personalized medicine, a concept based on the systematic use of individual patient molecular information to tailor specific preventive and therapeutic solutions. The early development of companion diagnostic tests and innovative compounds may accelerate early clinical proof of concept and support the registration of Ipsen clinical drug candidates.

“We are very pleased to build this partnership with Ipsen, which has developed over the years a significant scientific and medical expertise. Our goal is to reinforce personalized medicine and contribute through this partnership to the novel paradigm in medicine, which is increasingly “patient-driven” rather than “disease-driven”,” said Prof. Christian Bréchot, Vice President of Institut Mérieux, in charge of medical and scientific affairs, and member of the bioMérieux board.  

Dr. Claude Bertrand, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer of Ipsen stated: “We are delighted to accelerate the deployment of our personalized medicine programs in oncology through this broad partnership with bioMérieux”. Claude Bertrandadded: “The shared vision and the cross-company synergies represent a unique opportunity to leverage early stage co-development of innovative products and biomarkers for patient care.”

About personalized medicine for oncology

Theranostics, the development of innovative therapeutic agents with diagnostic companion tests (taking into account an individual’s genetics or tumor molecular profile) may be key to improve treatment efficacy and safety through the identification of potential responding patients as well as in monitoring the response to a treatment. The creation of the Ipsen / bioMérieux partnership reflects the visionary convergence of medical and information technologies to serve individual patient’s needs.

Theranostics offers a cutting-edge solution to optimize healthcare by making sure the best medicine is available to the right patients. It may also accelerate the time to market of new compounds through an improved selection of patients enrolled in clinical trials, thereby helping to address the global challenge of R&D productivity.

About the relationship between Ipsen and bioMérieux

Ipsen and bioMérieux have a longstanding relationship, since both companies announced in September 2007 the development of a companion assay to determine the patients best suited to benefit from BN83495 (Irosustat), Ipsen’s steroid sulfatase enzyme (STS) inhibitor compound, currently in phase I clinical development for the treatment of breast and prostate cancers and in phase II for the treatment of advanced endometrial cancer.

About Ipsen

Ipsen is a global biopharmaceutical group, with sales exceeding 1 billion euros in 2009. The Group has total worldwide staff of more than 4,400 employees, of which nearly 900 contribute to the discovery and development of innovative drugs for patient care. Ipsen’s development strategy is based on fast growing specialty care drugs in oncology, endocrinology, neurology and hematology, and on primary care drugs. This strategy is supported by an active policy of partnerships. Ipsen’s research & development (R&D) centers and its peptide & protein engineering platform give the Group a strong competitive edge. In 2009, R&D expenditure totaled close to €200 million, representing nearly 20% of Group sales. Ipsen’s shares are traded on segment A of Euronext Paris (stock code: IPN, ISIN code: FR0010259150) and eligible to the “Service de Règlement Différé” (“SRD”). The Group is part of the SBF 120 index. Ipsen has implemented a Sponsored Level I American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program, which trade on the over-the-counter market in the United States under the symbol IPSEY. For more information on Ipsen, visit our website at www.ipsen.com.

About bioMérieux

Advancing Diagnostics to Improve Public Health

A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for over 45 years, bioMérieux is present in more than 150 countries through 39 subsidiaries and a large network of distributors. In 2010, revenues reached €1.357 billion with 87% of sales outside of France.

bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments, software) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Its products are used for diagnosing infectious diseases and providing high medical value results for cancer screening and monitoring and cardiovascular emergencies. They are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

bioMérieux is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris market (Symbol: BIM – ISIN: FR0010096479). Other information can be found at www.biomerieux.com.

bioMérieux in Theranostics

bioMérieux is committed to making personalized medicine a reality by building partnerships to develop theranostics for infectious diseases, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Some collaborations include Ipsen, Merck & Co. and GSK. bioMérieux has made a sustained investment in high medical value biomarkers through in-house R&D programs, licensing and research collaborations.

Theranostics development also leverages bioMérieux's unique hybrid business strategy: the high complexity CLIA lab of its subsidiary, bioTheranostics, allied with bioMérieux's global IVD business, supports aggressive development timelines while ensuring test availability wherever the drug is sold.

Ipsen forward-looking statements

The forward-looking statements, objectives and targets contained herein are based on the Group’s management strategy, 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 targets described in this document were prepared without taking into account external growth assumptions and potential future acquisitions, which may alter these parameters. These objectives are based on data and assumptions regarded as reasonable by the Group. These targets depend on conditions or facts likely to happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Notably, future currency fluctuations may negatively impact the profitability of the Group and its ability to reach its objectives. Actual results may depart significantly from these targets given the occurrence of certain risks and uncertainties. The Group does not commit nor gives any guarantee that it will meet the targets mentioned above. Furthermore, the Research and Development process involves several stages each of which involve the substantial risk that the Group may fail to achieve its objectives and be forced to abandon its efforts with regards to a product in which it has invested significant sums. Therefore, the Group cannot be certain that favorable 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. The Group also depends on third parties to develop and market some of its products which could potentially generate substantial royalties; these partners could behave in such ways which could cause damage to the Group’s activities and financial results. The Group 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. The Group’s business is subject to the risk factors outlined in its registration documents filed with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

bioMérieux forward-looking statements

The above forward-looking statements are based, entirely or partially, on assessments or judgments that may change or be modified, due to uncertainties and risks related to the Company's economic, financial, regulatory and competitive environment, notably those described in the 2009 Reference Document. Accordingly, the Company cannot give any assurance nor make any representation as to whether the above objectives will be met. The Company does not undertake to update or otherwise revise any forecasts or objectives presented herein, except in compliance with the disclosure obligations applicable to companies whose shares are listed on a stock exchange.

For further information:

Ipsen

Media
 
Didier Véron  
Director, Public Affairs and Corporate Communications
Tel.: +33 (0)1 58 33 51 16
Fax: +33 (0)1 58 33 50 58
E-mail: didier.veron@ipsen.com  

Financial Community
 
Pierre Kemula 
Investor Relations Officer
Tel.: +33 (0)1 58 33 60 08
Fax: +33 (0)1 58 33 50 63
E-mail: pierre.kemula@ipsen.com

Stéphane Durant des Aulnois
Investor Relations Manager
Tel.: +33 (0)1 58 33 60 09
Fax: +33 (0)1 58 33 50 63
E-mail: stephane.durant.des.aulnois@ipsen.com

bioMérieux

Investor Relations

Isabelle Tongio
Tel.: + 33 4 78 87 22 37
E-mail: investor.relations@biomerieux.com

Media Relations

Koren Wolman-Tardy
Tel.: + 33 4 78 87 20 08
E-mail: media@biomerieux.com