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01/05/2004
Collaboration includes key stem cell growth factors Stem Cell Factor and Flt3-Ligand for use in the development of cellular therapies for a broad range of diseases.
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ViaCell, Inc. today announced a collaboration and license agreement with Amgen Inc. in the field of cellular therapy that provides ViaCell with licenses to certain cellular growth factors and provides Amgen with the right to collaborate with ViaCell to develop and commercialize cellular therapy products resulting from the collaboration. Amgen will also purchase $20 million of equity in ViaCell as part of the transaction.
In 2002, Amgen granted ViaCell a non-exclusive worldwide license to Stem Cell Factor (SCF), a novel growth factor developed by Amgen, for ex vivo therapeutic uses. As part of the new collaboration agreement announced today, Amgen is also granting ViaCell a non-exclusive worldwide license to Flt3-Ligand for ex vivo therapeutic use. Both SCF and Flt3-Ligand are important growth factors contributing to the survival, growth and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells.
Marc Beer, chairman and chief executive officer of ViaCell said, “Amgen’s growth factors are critical for the development and manufacture of our cellular therapy products. He added, “In addition to the growth factors, Amgen has a tremendous amount of knowledge about cell manufacturing and development. The combination of ViaCell’s technology with Amgen’s growth factors, knowledge and capital will allow ViaCell to explore cell therapy as meaningful therapeutics more rapidly.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Amgen will make an equity investment of $20 million in ViaCell and will have an option to provide 50 percent of the development funding for selected future collaboration products and will pay a milestone upon approval of any collaboration products. Amgen will be responsible for late-stage clinical development and commercialization of selected products and ViaCell will be responsible for research, early clinical development and manufacturing. The parties will equally share the profits from the sale of these products.
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