Exhibit
99.1
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Gilead Contacts:
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Genelabs Contacts:
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Amy Flood
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Matthew M. Loar
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650-522-5643
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650-562-1424
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For
Immediate Release
GILEAD AND GENELABS ANNOUNCE RESEARCH
COLLABORATION AND
LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF
GENELABS NOVEL HEPATITIS C COMPOUNDS
Research Effort
Targets Significant Unmet Medical Need
Foster City, CA and Redwood City, CA, September 30, 2004
Gilead
Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD) and Genelabs Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNLB) today
announced that the companies have signed an agreement to collaborate in the
research, development and commercialization of novel compounds for the
treatment of infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). In this collaboration, Genelabs will lead
research efforts and Gilead will lead development and commercialization efforts
for novel nucleoside inhibitors of HCV polymerase.
Under the terms of the
agreement, Gilead will pay to Genelabs a nonrefundable $8 million upfront
payment and will provide research funding over the next three years. In return Genelabs will devote a specified
number of scientists to the program and provide Gilead with exclusive access to
certain compounds developed in the program. Genelabs could also earn milestone
payments of up to $38 million for each compound developed by Gilead under the
agreement, based upon the achievement of specified development and regulatory
goals. Gilead will receive exclusive
worldwide license rights and will pay Genelabs a royalty on any net sales of
future products arising from the collaboration.
We are pleased to
partner with Genelabs, a company whose mission closely aligns with ours, said
John C. Martin, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead
Sciences. There is a significant unmet
medical need in hepatitis C therapy today, and Genelabs research expertise and
capabilities uniquely position the company to work with Gilead to develop
compounds that can address this life-threatening disease. We look forward to working with the Genelabs
team in this collaboration to advance novel product candidates forward to the
clinic.
Gilead has proven to be
a potent force in the development and commercialization of antiviral products
and is an ideal partner for Genelabs HCV program, said James A. D. Smith, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Genelabs. Our program goal is simple - to
discover and develop best-in-class compounds for treatment of HCV. We believe
Gilead shares this goal and see them as the best partner to successfully
execute our mutual vision for bringing new HCV therapies to market. We very
much look forward to working closely with the Gilead team over the coming
years.
Hepatitis C is a viral
liver disease, caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus. Globally, more than 170 million people have
chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is one
of the primary causes of liver failure and
transplantation in the United States. Currently,
there is no vaccine that can protect against hepatitis C infection.
- more -
About
Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is
a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes
therapeutics to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening
diseases worldwide. The company has seven marketed products, and focuses its
research and clinical programs on anti-infectives. Headquartered in Foster
City, CA, Gilead has operations in North America, Europe and Australia.
About Genelabs
Genelabs Technologies,
Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the discovery and development of
novel pharmaceutical products to improve human health. The company is
concentrating its clinical development capabilities on Prestara, an
investigational drug for women with systemic lupus erythematosus. The company
is concentrating its drug discovery capabilities on novel antiviral compounds
for treatment of hepatitis C virus infections.
This press release includes forward-looking
statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including
risks related to the companies ability to move compounds into the clinic and
to successfully discover, develop and/or commercialize any compounds under the
collaboration. These risks,
uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially
from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these
forward-looking statements. These and
other risks are described in detail in the Gilead Annual Report on Form 10-K
and the Genelabs Annual Report on Form 10-K, each for the year ended December
31, 2003 and in each companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, all of which are
on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on
information currently available to Gilead and Genelabs, and neither company
assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.
# # #
For more information on Gilead
Sciences, please visit the companys web site at www.gilead.com
or call the Gilead Public Affairs Department at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or
1-650-574-3000.
For more information on Genelabs
Technologies, Inc., please visit the companys web site at
www.genelabs.com or call Genelabs at 1-650-369-9500.
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