Both Companies Are Dedicated to Establishing a Higher Standard for the Safety of Spanish and Portuguese Blood Transfusions BARCELONA, Spain & CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23,
2007--Grifols S.A. (MCE: GRF) and Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS)
today announced that the two companies have entered into an agreement
to commercialize Cerus' INTERCEPT Blood System in Spain and Portugal.
The INTERCEPT Blood System is designed to provide increased protection
from a broad range of transfusion-transmitted pathogens. More than
200,000 platelet units and 300,000 plasma units for transfusion are
collected annually in Spain and Portugal. Under terms of the agreement, Grifols and Cerus will sell, deploy
and support the INTERCEPT Blood System in Spanish and Portuguese blood
centers. In addition, Grifols will be responsible for servicing the
INTERCEPT system illuminators and will manage the supply chain for the
INTERCEPT system through its distribution sites in Spain and Portugal. "We are pleased to partner with Grifols, one of the largest
pharmaceutical companies in Spain and the largest European plasma
fractionator," said Claes Glassell, president and chief executive
officer of Cerus Corporation. "The two companies are committed to
enhancing the safety of the blood supply in Spain and Portugal by
using the most advanced technology to reduce the risk of
transfusion-transmitted diseases." The INTERCEPT Blood System The INTERCEPT Blood System is designed to reduce the risk of
transfusion-transmitted diseases by inactivating a broad range of
pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites that may be
present in donated blood intended for transfusion. The system
inactivates pathogens in platelets and plasma using the same
illumination device, process and active compound. The INTERCEPT Blood
System has received CE mark approvals in Europe for both the platelet
and plasma systems. A Phase I clinical trial of the INTERCEPT Blood
System for red cells has been completed in the United States. ABOUT CERUS Cerus Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and
commercializes novel, proprietary products in the fields of blood
safety and immunotherapy designed to provide safer, more effective
medical options to patients in areas of substantial unmet medical
needs. In the field of blood safety, the company is developing and
commercializing the INTERCEPT Blood System, which is based on the
company's proprietary Helinx technology. The system is designed to
enhance the safety of donated blood components by inactivating
viruses, bacteria, parasites and other pathogens, as well as
potentially harmful white blood cells. In the field of immunotherapy,
the company is employing its proprietary attenuated Listeria vaccine
platform to develop a series of novel therapies to treat cancer, and
it is applying its proprietary Killed But Metabolically Active
technology platform in the research and development of prophylactic
and therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases. INTERCEPT, INTERCEPT Blood System and Helinx are trademarks of
Cerus Corporation. ABOUT GRIFOLS Grifols is a Spanish holding company specialized in the hospital
pharmaceutical sector. Currently present in 90 countries, it is the
leading European company in the hemoderivative market and the third
largest producer in the world. In the coming years Grifols will
strengthen its leadership position in the industry as a vertically
integrated company, as a result of investments already undertaken.
Grifols has a steady and assured supply of plasma and its
fractionation capacity will allow the company to meet growing demand,
principally in the United States market where the company intends to
increase its presence. Grifols' activities focus on fulfilling the needs of healthcare
professionals working in therapeutics, pharmacy, diagnostics and blood
banking. For more than 60 years Grifols has developed, manufactured
and marketed products of proven efficacy, quality and safety
contributing to improve human health.
CONTACT: Cerus U.S.
Myesha Edwards
Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Cerus Corporation
(925) 288-6017
or
Cerus Spain
Alfonso Lopez
FIPRA International
+34 91 432 45 70
a.lopez@retionline.es
or
Grifols
Raquel Lumbreras / Alejandro Boza
Corporate Communications
Grifols S.A.
+34 91 311 92 90 SOURCE: Cerus Corporation
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