ZymoGenetics and Novo Nordisk Sign License for Interleukin 20; Novo Nordisk Obtains North American Development Rights.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2004 ZymoGenetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZGEN) announced today the signing of a license agreement with Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :NVO NVO no visible oestrus (see no visible estrus). Called also NVE. ) for exclusive rights in North America to ZymoGenetics' patents covering IL-20. As part of the licensing agreement, Novo Nordisk will pay ZymoGenetics a $4 million initial license fee, along with milestone and royalty payments. Novo Nordisk will be responsible for all development activities. Further financial details were not disclosed. "We are very pleased to have licensed this protein to Novo Nordisk," commented Bruce L.A. Carter, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ZymoGenetics. "We are aggressively developing our own internal pipeline of proprietary protein therapeutics focused on bleeding, autoimmune diseases Autoimmune diseases A group of diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, in which immune cells turn on the body, attacking various tissues and organs. Mentioned in: Complement Deficiencies, Premature Menopause and cancer. With our extensive patent portfolio that covers a variety of therapeutic areas, we intend to pursue an out-licensing strategy for selected proteins." ZymoGenetics and Novo Nordisk entered into an option agreement in November 2000 under which Novo Nordisk has the right to license exclusive rights to a limited number of proteins outside North America until November 2004. Effective September 2001, Novo Nordisk licensed the ex-North American rights to IL-20 under the option agreement. With the recent signing of the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. license agreement, Novo Nordisk possesses worldwide development rights for IL-20. ZymoGenetics retains rights and prospective rights to the other members of IL-10 family, including IL-22 and IL-22 receptors. About IL-20 ZymoGenetics researchers identified IL-20 as a new member of the IL-10 cytokine Cytokine Any of a group of soluble proteins that are released by a cell to send messages which are delivered to the same cell (autocrine), an adjacent cell (paracrine), or a distant cell (endocrine). family using the Company's genomics based discovery platform. In preclinical studies preclinical studies, n.pl a term used to describe research done before a clinical study. May be laboratory or epidemiologic research. , over-expressing IL-20 caused skin abnormalities that resemble human psoriasis. In vitro, IL-20 activates human keratinocytes Keratinocytes Cells found in the epidermis. The keratinocytes at the outer surface of the epidermis are dead and form a tough protective layer. The cells underneath divide to replenish the supply. and induces the expression of other pro-inflammatory cytokines Cytokines Chemicals made by the cells that act on other cells to stimulate or inhibit their function. Cytokines that stimulate growth are called "growth factors. . Although IL-20 is expressed at a very low level in normal skin, its expression is significantly up-regulated in lesional psoriasis skin compared to adjacent non-lesional psoriasis skin. Because of the elevated expression of IL-20 in psoriasis skin lesions and the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-20 on keratinocyte keratinocyte /ke·rat·i·no·cyte/ (ker-at´in-o-sit) the epidermal cell that synthesizes keratin, known in its successive stages in the layers of the skin as basal cell, prickle cell, and granular cell. gene expression, IL-20 may play an important role in the regulation of cutaneous cutaneous /cu·ta·ne·ous/ (ku-ta´ne-us) pertaining to the skin. cu·ta·ne·ous adj. Of, relating to, or affecting the skin. Cutaneous Pertaining to the skin. inflammation and pathology of psoriasis. Therefore, IL-20 is potentially a specific target for the treatment of psoriasis. About ZymoGenetics ZymoGenetics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic proteins for the prevention or treatment of human diseases. Using a product discovery engine that combines ZymoGenetics' strengths in biology, protein chemistry, molecular and cellular biology and bioinformatics, ZymoGenetics is developing a pipeline of potential proprietary product candidates. These span a wide array of clinical opportunities, including bleeding, autoimmune diseases and cancer. ZymoGenetics intends to commercialize these product candidates through internal development, collaborations with partners, and out-licensing of patents from its extensive patent portfolio. For further information, visit www.zymogenetics.com. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on the current intent and expectations of the management of ZymoGenetics. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. ZymoGenetics' actual results and the timing and outcome of events may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements because of risks associated with our unproven discovery strategy, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory oversight, intellectual property claims and litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. and other risks detailed in the company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002 and its prospectus supplement filed with the Commission on October 16, 2003. Except as required by law, ZymoGenetics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |
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