Almirall invests in personalised medicine by becoming part of the share capital of AB-Biotics

Barcelona, 23 October 2012.- Almirall(ALM.MC), the international pharmaceutical company headquarted in Barcelona, has reached an agreement with the Spanish biotech company AB-Biotics (ABB.MC) to enter the share capital of the company listed on the Spanish Alternative Investment Market(MAB). This operation enables Almirall to complement its commitment to innovation through pharmacogenetics and personalised medicine, one of the specialist areas of AB-Biotics. Almirall becoming part of the share capital of AB-Biotics will enhance the commercial expansion of the pharmacogenetics tests developed by the biotech company. 

 

Both companies will be working together on the promotion and commercialisation of Neurofarmagen in Spain from 2013.It is a genetic test that uses DNA extracted from a saliva sample to enable the doctor to identify a patient’s predilection to respond to the most commonly used active principles in the treatment of depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and epilepsy. Pharmacogenetics complements Almirall’s innovative project portfolio, which is currently focused on respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and dermatology. 

 

Details of the equity interest 

The operation will become effective by the subscription by Almirall of 465,115 shares from AB-Biotics, at a value of 2.15 euros per share, as part of the share capital increase that AB- Biotics currently holds open in the MAB and guarantees a minimum shareholding of 5%. 

This capital will go towards financing studies and research programmes in AB-Biotics’s genetics area, and the international expansion of products in this area. 

 

 The Human Genome project brought about the discovery that there are millions of tiny differences in people’s DNA, some of which affect a person’s predisposition to suffer from certain diseases and also how a patient will respond to medicines.

 

 Pharmacogenetics is the branch of genetics that studies how genetic variations or polymorphisms affect a patient’s response to medicine.  Given that the response to medicine can be conditioned up to 85% by genetic factors, the use of pharmacogenetics testing for prescribing medication enables the doctor to enhance treatment efficacy and reduce side effects for the patient - through personalised medicine-, as well as reducing costs for the healthcare system.

 

 As a result of research in this area, in 2010 AB-Bioticslaunched Neurofarmagen, a genetic analysis line that uses a saliva sample to enable an assessment to be made of a patient’s response predilection to therapy when treating neuropsychiatric diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and epilepsy. 

 

About Almirall 

Almirall is an international pharmaceutical company based on innovation and committed to health. Headquarteredin Barcelona, it researches, develops, manufactures and commercialises its own R&D and licensed drugs with the aim of improving people’s health and wellbeing. Almirall focuses its research resources on respiratory, gastrointestinal, dermatology and pain. Almirall’s products are currently present in over 70 countries in the five continents. It has direct presence in Europe and Mexico through 12 affiliates. For further information please visit the website at: www.almirall.com 

 

About AB-Biotics 

AB-Biotics is a Spanish biotech company focused on the research, development, protection and distribution of proprietary and exclusive biotech solutions that strive to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Its particular areas of activity include the development of pharmacogenetics tests for neuropsychiatry, and probiotics and other functional ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Since July 2010, AB-Biotics has been listed on the Spanish Alternative Investment Market (MAB), and the company is currently in the initial phase of its internationalisation plan.

 

 More information: Ketchum Pleon Sonia San Segundo sonia.sansegundo@ketchum.com Tel.: 00 34 91 788 32 00

 

 Investor Relations: Almirall Jordi Molina jordi.molina@almirall.com Tel.: 0034 93 291 30 87