|
West Pharmaceutical
Services, Inc. Announces Manufacturing and Marketing Agreement
with Debiotech, S.A. Patented DebiojectTM and DebioclipTM
innovative delivery systems used for lyophilized and dry powder
drug reconstitution.
|
Lionville, PA, December 25, 2000 - West Pharmaceutical
Services, Inc., announced today that it has entered into a long
term agreement with Debiotech, S.A., a privately held Swiss medical
device company.
West acquired worldwide exclusive rights to manufacture
and market the DebiojectTM and DebioclipTM
delivery systems, which provide safe and cost-effective reconstitution
of powder or lyophilized drugs at the point-of-care.
The Debioject and Debioclip delivery systems can
be applied to standard vials, stoppers and overseals, allowing pharmaceutical
manufacturers to incorporate the systems into existing product lines
with minimal registration procedures.
West plans to scale up to fully automated production
at its plastic injection molding facility in Montgomery, Pennsylvania,
by the end of 2001.
Products requiring point-of-care reconstitution
include, but are not limited to, interferons, oncology therapies,
vaccines, growth hormones, and plasma derivatives. The market is
expected to grow as a result of new complex biotechnological processes
and genetic engineering.
"The Debioject and Debioclip delivery systems
meet the growing market need for improved drug delivery systems,
particularly in areas such as the home care environment, emergency
use, and for oncology products," said William O’Dell, Vice
President, Global Marketing, West Pharmaceutical Services. "Patients
and healthcare workers need systems like this, that are safe, effective
and easy to use."
Dr. Frédéric Neftel, CEO, Debiotech,
stated, "We are delighted to work with West Pharmaceutical Services
on DebiojectTM and DebioclipTM . The collaboration
created with West is an ideal step toward the global success of
those products which have been conceived based on pharmaceutical
companies’ requirements and the need for improved safety and efficiency
in sophisticated drug reconstitution prior to injection to the patient.
West is obviously in the best position to offer a full range of
capabilities."
Debiotech S.A. specializes in the research and
development of innovative medical devices in the field of drug reconstitution
and, syringes, flow control, electronic infusion systems, dialysis,
diagnostics, implantable drug delivery systems and micro-systems
for insulin and peptide drug delivery. http://www.debiotech.com.
West Pharmaceutical Services applies value-added
technologies to the process of bringing new drug therapies and healthcare
products to global markets. West'’s technologies include the design
and manufacture of packaging components for pharmaceutical, healthcare
and consumer products; research and development of drug delivery
systems; contract laboratory services; clinical services; and other
services that support the manufacturing, filling and packaging of
pharmaceutical and healthcare products. http://www.westpharma.com.
Statements contained in this press release, which
are not historical facts, such as statements about prospective earnings,
savings, revenue, earnings growth and other financial results are
forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All such
forward-looking statements including the statements contained herein
regarding anticipated trends in the Company's business are based
largely on management's expectations and are subject to and qualified
by risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These
risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, competitive
factors, outsourcing trends in the pharmaceutical industry, the
Company's ability to continue to attract and retain qualified personnel,
the fixed price nature of contracts or the loss of large contracts,
the Company's ability to divest businesses at a satisfactory price,
and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
|