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MedImmune Further Expands Autoimmune Disease Research Program Through Collaboration with SBI Biotech

Friday, September 12, 2008 General News
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GAITHERSBURG, Md. and TOKYO, Sept. 11 MedImmune, theglobal biologics unit of AstraZeneca, and SBI Biotech Co., Ltd, a subsidiaryof SBI Holdings, Inc., announced today that they have entered into a licensingand collaboration agreement to develop and commercialize SBI Biotech'santi-ILT7 protein for the potential treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) and other autoimmune diseases. MedImmune has global rights to anyresulting product candidates and will be responsible for preclinical andclinical development, as well as all future development, manufacturing, salesand marketing activities.
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"It's an honor to work with Ken-ichi Arai, founder of SBI Biotech and oneof Japan's leading scientists. We look forward to collaborating with him andhis organization as we develop potential new treatments for autoimmunediseases such as SLE," said Anthony J. Coyle, Ph.D., vice president, research,respiratory, inflammation and autoimmunity. "As an innovative companydedicated to making a difference for patients, MedImmune will continue to seekout research and development initiatives that may address some of society'scritical unmet medical needs."
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Under the terms of the agreement, MedImmune is to provide SBI Biotech withan undisclosed upfront payment, milestone payments and royalties on futuremarketed products. SBI Biotech has granted MedImmune an exclusive license toresearch, develop and commercialize products that target the ILT7 protein. Inaddition, MedImmune will have the option to license additional targetsresulting from SBI Biotech's research activities.

"We are pleased to collaborate with MedImmune, a company with strongcapabilities to develop therapeutic antibodies including expertise inhumanization and large-scale production. MedImmune is an excellent company andthis agreement facilitates the research and development of an anti-ILT7antibody," said Ken-ichi Arai, M.D. and Ph.D., president & CEO, SBI Biotech."We have been seeking other potential targets for treatments of autoimmunediseases and cancer and will continue further research and development. We areconfident that the collaboration with MedImmune will greatly strengthen thepotential for our program."

About ILT7

ILT7 is a cell surface protein uniquely expressed on plasmacytoiddendritic cells (pDC). Targeting ILT7 offers potential to treat autoimmunediseases because pDCs are believed to be critical in the development ofautoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

About MedImmune

MedImmune is wholly owned by AstraZeneca plc (LSE: AZN.L, NYSE: AZN) andis the worldwide biologics business for the AstraZeneca Group. The companyhas approximately 3,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered inGaithersburg, Maryland. MedImmune strives to provide better medicines topatients, new medical options for physicians and rewarding careers toemployees. Dedicated to advancing science and medicine to help people livebetter lives, the company is focused on infection, oncology, respiratorydisease and inflammation, cardiovascular/gastrointestinal disease andneuroscience. For more information, visit MedImmune's website atwww.medimmune.com.

About SBI Biotech Co., Ltd.

SBI Biotech Co., Ltd, the drug subsidiary company of SBI Holdings, Inc. isconducting its business as the global bioventure company by assemblingdiscovery pipelines from Japan, United States, China and Korea. SBI Biotechadvances drug discovery and new therapy by utilizing the global network of SBIresearchers, receiving investments from venture capital and by collaboratingwith pharmaceutical companies and university hospitals. For more informationon SBI Biotech, please refer to the company's website at www.sbibiotech.jp.

SOURCE MedImmune
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