Crucell
Encyclopedia
Crucell is a biotechnology
company specializing in vaccines and antibodies. The firm, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
, is headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands
. Crucell shares were previously listed on the Euronext
Amsterdam exchange
and formed part of the AMX index
until April 2011, when J&J completed a tender offer
for the company.
of Leiden University
. The company formed a partnership with Genzyme
to collaborate on its vector technology and viral-based products. In 1999 the company founded Galapagos Genomics
as a joint venture together with Tibotec
. In 2000 IntroGene acquired U-Bisys to form Crucell.
In 2006, Crucell and Swiss Berna Biotech; Swedish SBL Vaccines and US-based Berna Products joined forces to become the sixth largest vaccine company worldwide, with their own clinical programs.
On 7 January 2009 Crucell released a press release saying Crucell and Wyeth
were in discussion on a merger of the two companies. On 26 January 2009 Crucell released another press release saying the discussions on a combination of Crucell and Wyeth was discontinued due to Pfizer
's acquisition of Wyeth.
On 28 September 2009 Johnson & Johnson
bought 18% stake in Crucell for €302 million in order to collaborate on the development of a flu vaccine. This follows in the wake of Crucell's discovery of CR6261
, a potent human antibody that neutralizes a broad range of influenza A viruses. J&J agreed to acquire the rest of the company in October 2010, taking its stake to over 95% by February 2011 and delisting the company from stock exchanges two months later.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company specializing in vaccines and antibodies. The firm, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
, is headquartered in Leiden, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Crucell shares were previously listed on the Euronext
Euronext
Euronext N.V. is a pan-European stock exchange based in Amsterdam and with subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. In addition to equities and derivatives markets, the Euronext group provides clearing and information services...
Amsterdam exchange
Stock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
and formed part of the AMX index
AMX index
The AMX index, derived from Amsterdam Midkap Index, also known as Midkap index or simply Midkap, is a stock market index composed of Dutch companies that trade on Euronext Amsterdam, formerly known as the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. The index was started in 1995. It is composed of the 25 funds that...
until April 2011, when J&J completed a tender offer
Tender offer
Tender offer is a corporate finance term denoting a type of takeover bid. The tender offer is a public, open offer or invitation by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corporation to tender their stock for sale at a specified price during a specified time, subject to...
for the company.
History
In 1993 Introgene, Crucell’s predecessor, was established as a spin-offUniversity spin-off
University spin-offs transform technological inventions developed from university research that are likely to remain unexploited otherwise. As such, university spin-offs are a subcategory of research spin-offs. Prominent examples of university spin-offs are Genentech, Crucell, Lycos and Plastic...
of Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. The company formed a partnership with Genzyme
Genzyme
Genzyme Corporation is a fully owned subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis. Before its acquisition, Genzyme was an American biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2010, Genzyme was the world’s third-largest biotechnology company, employing more than 11,000 people around the world...
to collaborate on its vector technology and viral-based products. In 1999 the company founded Galapagos Genomics
Galapagos Genomics
Galapagos Genomics NV was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Crucell and Tibotec. The Company later changed its name to Galapagos NV and completed its initial public offering on EuronextAmsterdam and Euronext Brussels in May 2005....
as a joint venture together with Tibotec
Tibotec
Tibotec is a pharmaceutical company with a focus on research and development for the treatment of infectious diseases such as HIV , and Hepatitis C...
. In 2000 IntroGene acquired U-Bisys to form Crucell.
In 2006, Crucell and Swiss Berna Biotech; Swedish SBL Vaccines and US-based Berna Products joined forces to become the sixth largest vaccine company worldwide, with their own clinical programs.
On 7 January 2009 Crucell released a press release saying Crucell and Wyeth
Wyeth
Wyeth, formerly one of the companies owned by American Home Products Corporation , was a pharmaceutical company. The company was based in Madison, New Jersey, USA...
were in discussion on a merger of the two companies. On 26 January 2009 Crucell released another press release saying the discussions on a combination of Crucell and Wyeth was discontinued due to Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
's acquisition of Wyeth.
On 28 September 2009 Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
bought 18% stake in Crucell for €302 million in order to collaborate on the development of a flu vaccine. This follows in the wake of Crucell's discovery of CR6261
CR6261
CR6261 is a monoclonal antibody that binds to a broad range of the influenza virus including the 1918 "Spanish flu" and to a virus of the H5N1 class of avian influenza that jumped from chickens to a human in Vietnam in 2004...
, a potent human antibody that neutralizes a broad range of influenza A viruses. J&J agreed to acquire the rest of the company in October 2010, taking its stake to over 95% by February 2011 and delisting the company from stock exchanges two months later.