Message #20 From:
Stock News Bot Date: October 4, 2006 05:00:00 AM
AVAN News Avant Signs Agreement with Pfizer for Development of Animal Health Vaccines
NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAN) announced today the
signing of an extended collaborative research and development agreement
with Pfizer Inc aimed at the discovery and development of vaccines to
protect animals. The collaboration will employ vaccine technologies
owned by AVANT.
Under the agreement, Pfizer and AVANT will conduct a joint research
program funded by Pfizer to develop prophylactic and therapeutic
vaccines to protect livestock and companion animals from respiratory and
enteric diseases. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“We are very pleased to extend our
collaboration with Pfizer to leverage the value of AVANT’s
vaccine technology in a significant market opportunity outside AVANT’s
own focus on human health care,” said Una S.
Ryan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of AVANT
Immunotherapeutics, Inc. Pfizer Animal Health is a leader in the global
industry.
About AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc.
AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops innovative
vaccines and therapeutics that harness the human immune system to
prevent and treat disease. AVANT has three products on the market and
five of AVANT’s products are in clinical
development, including a treatment to reduce complement- mediated tissue
damage associated with cardiac bypass surgery and a novel vaccine for
cholesterol management. AVANT is also developing a pipeline of products
for biodefense, travelers’ vaccines, global
health, and pandemic flu needs based on AVANT’s
rapidly-protecting, oral, single-dose, and temperature stable vaccine
technology.
Additional information on AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. can be obtained
through our site on the World Wide Web: http://www.avantimmune.com.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements
that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and reflect
AVANT’s current views with respect to future
events and financial performance. There are a umber of important
factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from
those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by AVANT. These
factors include, but are not limited to: (1) the integration of multiple
technologies and programs; (2) the ability to adapt AVANT’s
vectoring systems to develop new, safe and effective orally administered
vaccines against anthrax and plague or other any other microbes used as
bioweapons and other disease causing agents; (3) the ability to
successfully complete development and commercialization of TP10, CETi-1,
CholeraGarde® (Peru-15), Ty800 and other
products; (4) the cost, timing, scope and results of ongoing safety and
efficacy trials of TP10, CETi-1, CholeraGarde®
(Peru-15), Ty800 and other preclinical and clinical testing; (5) the
ability to successfully complete product research and further
development, including animal, pre-clinical and clinical studies of
TP10, CETi-1, CholeraGarde® (Peru-15), Ty800
and other products; (6) the ability of the Company to manage multiple
late stage clinical trials for a variety of product candidates; (7) the
volume and profitability of product sales of Megan®Vac
1, Megan®Egg and other future products; (8)
the process of obtaining regulatory approval for the sale of Rotarix®
in major commercial markets, as well as the timing and success of
worldwide commercialization of Rotarix® by
our partner, Glaxo; (9) Glaxo’s strategy and
business plans to launch and supply Rotarix®
worldwide, including in the U.S. and other major markets; (10) changes
in existing and potential relationships with corporate collaborators;
(11) the availability, cost, delivery and quality of clinical and
commercial grade materials supplied by contract manufacturers; (12) the
timing, cost and uncertainty of obtaining regulatory approvals to use
TP10, CETi-1, CholeraGarde® (Peru-15) and
Ty800, among other purposes, for adults undergoing cardiac surgery, to
raise serum HDL cholesterol levels and to protect travelers and people
in endemic regions from diarrhea causing diseases, respectively; (13)
the ability to obtain substantial additional funding; (14) the ability
to develop and commercialize products before competitors and that are
superior to the alternatives developed by competitors; (15) the ability
to retain certain members of management;(16) AVANT’s
expectations regarding research and development expenses and general and
administrative expenses; (17) DVC’s ability
to complete clinical trials and perform under its agreement; (18) AVANT’s
expectations regarding CETP’s ability to
improve cholesterol levels and AVANT’s
ability to develop and commercialize CETP; (19) AVANT’s
expectations regarding cash balances, anticipated royalty payments and
expenses, including infrastructure expenses; and (20) other factors
detailed from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. You should carefully review all of these factors, and you
should be aware that there may be other factors that could cause these
differences. These forward-looking statements were based on
information, plans and estimates at the date of this report, and we do
not promise to update any forward-looking statements to reflect changes
in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or
other changes.
