Intervet International bv acquires Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine factory from Bayer HealthCare AG
10 February 2006
Boxmeer, February 10, 2006 – Today, Intervet, the animal health business unit of Akzo Nobel, announced the agreement with Bayer HealthCare AG to acquire the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine factory in Cologne, Germany. By acquiring this factory Intervet substantially strengthens its worldwide position in the field of FMD vaccines. The acquisition is expected to be completed in July 2006. Both parties have agreed not to disclose financial details.
The site in Cologne will become Intervet’s international competence center for FMD vaccine research, development and production. The factory −in combination with Intervet’s expertise in vaccine production− will significantly contribute to the needs of the market for safe and efficacious FMD vaccines. In addition, this factory will provide an antigen bank, which −under government contracts− can guarantee emergency supply of FMD vaccines.
Intervet already owns FMD vaccine production sites, in Brazil (Fortaleza) and India (Pune), that are mainly used to supply their respective national markets. By acquiring the factory in Cologne, Intervet will considerably expand its position in the commercial and institutional sales markets for FMD vaccines in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The factory also significantly increases Intervet’s worldwide capacity for large scale production in fermentors of cell-culture based vaccines.
Intervet is world market leader in animal health vaccines.
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Note for the editor
Intervet, a business unit of Akzo Nobel, based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, with sales of EUR 1,094 million in 2005, is dedicated to research and development, production and marketing of innovative animal health products. Intervet's product range, for use in livestock, companion animals, poultry and fish, includes vaccines, antiparasitics, anti-infectives, endocrine products and other pharmaceutical specialties. Intervet operates globally with its own marketing organizations. The company currently employs around 5,000 people.
Internet: www.intervet.com
Akzo Nobel is a global 500 company and is listed on both the Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ stock exchanges. It is also listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. Based in the Netherlands, we are a multicultural organization serving customers throughout the world with human and animal healthcare products, coatings and chemicals. We employ around 61,500 people and conduct our activities in four segments, human and animal health, coatings and chemicals, subdivided into 13 business units, with operating subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. Consolidated revenues for 2005 totaled EUR 13.0 billion. The financial results for the first quarter will be published on April 20, 2006.
Internet: www.akzonobel.com
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Sabine Schueller Tel: +31 (0)485 587085
Communications & Public Affairs Fax: +31 (0)485 585392
Intervet International bv communications@intervet.com
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