Crucell corporate brochure (PDF)

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Crucell’s commitment to the world – Taking responsibility
In the influenza field, our research teams are working on a trio of programs
aimed at registering a better seasonal flu vaccine by 2014 and
developing products that will revolutionize the approach to influenza
prevention and treatment in the longer term. Influenza currently kills
an estimated 345,000 people annually and imposes a heavy burden
on society in terms of lost productivity and healthcare costs. The
emergence of a lethal influenza virus with pandemic potential could
push the death toll into tens of millions.
For the 55,000 people—especially children—who die of rabies each year,
we are developing a monoclonal antibody (mAb) product in partnership
with sanofi pasteur. People who are bitten by a rabid animal can be
saved by immediate injection of rabies antibodies and vaccine, both of
which exist, but the blood-derived antibodies now available are in short
supply and too expensive for most developing countries, where the
need is greatest. Our rabies mAb product is poised to enter a large
Phase II clinical trial in India in the first half of 2011, after showing
very promising results in other clinical settings and populations.
These are just some examples of the ways in which Crucell is working
on medical solutions that really matter. A full overview of our pipeline
products is given on page 13, and more information is available on
the R&D section of our website.
Animal welfare
Before any candidate medical product can be given to humans, it
must be rigorously tested in pre-clinical (non-human) models. Crucell
performs animal testing to the minimum extent that is required by
law. We conduct essential safety studies in animals in accordance with
the highest international standards, which are designed to prevent or
minimize any suffering of the animals tested. Simultaneously, we apply
the 3R principles—Reduce, Refine and Replace—to pre-clinical studies
involving animals. Crucell has been working over many years to replace
animal tests with cell-based assays, and these efforts have already
resulted in the significant reduction of animal testing.
www.crucell.com
€100.0 mln
Research and development investment in 2010
compared to €70.2 mln in 2009.
“ Crucell invested heavily in the
advancement and expansion of
pipeline programs in 2010.”