LEUVEN MINDGATE

TiGenix signs agreement for distribution ChondroCelect in Finland


Leuven (Belgium) / Helsinki (Finland) - October 10, 2011 - TiGenix NV (NYSE Euronext: TIG) and the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) announce that they have signed an exclusive agreement for the distribution ChondroCelect® in Finland.

TiGenix and the FRCBS have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement to facilitate successful commercialisation of ChondroCelect in Finland. The FRCBS is a highly reputed international healthcare organisation with an excellent network and relationships with hospitals and key opinion leaders throughout Finland.

Under the terms of the agreement, the FRCBS will facilitate patients' access to ChondroCelect in Finland by organising local regulatory approvals as a tissue establishment and pharma distribution specialist and providing training and product support to surgeons and healthcare professionals in selected orthopaedic centres. TiGenix is the marketing authorization holder and will be responsible for logistics and the manufacturing of ChondroCelect.

"With this agreement we made a first important step in our strategic initiative to broadening access to ChondroCelect outside our core commercial countries;" comments Gil Beyen, Chief Business Officer of TiGenix. "We are happy to have a renowned and international organisation such as the Finnish Red Cross as our partner to help us enter into one of Europe's best developed healthcare markets."

"Finnish Red Cross Blood Service has a vital role in Finnish health care, not only in blood product supply but also in tissue services. We have the expertise and quality systems required to make these kinds of new cell therapy products available for Finnish clinicians and patients. We are happy to be in the front line when it comes to new cell therapies", says Michael Jones, Head of Licensing and Alliance Management from FRCBS.

 

For more information, please contact:

TiGenix, Gil Beyen, Chief Business Officer, +32 16 39 60 60, investor@tigenix.com
The Finnish Red Cross Blood Services, Michael T. Jones, Head of Licensing and Alliance Management, +358 50 374 2612, michael.jones@veripalvelu.fi

 

About TiGenix

TiGenix NV (NYSE Euronext Brussels: TIG) is a leading European cell therapy company with two marketed products, ChondroCelect and ChondroMimetic, and a strong pipeline with clinical stage adult stem cell programs for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TiGenix is based out of Leuven (Belgium), and Madrid (Spain), and has facilities in Cambridge (UK) and Sittard-Geleen (the Netherlands). For more information please visit www.tigenix.com.

 

About Finnish Red Cross Blood Service

The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service (FRCBS) provides hospitals with the safe blood products and laboratory services needed in the treatment of patients. It takes care of the collection of blood from voluntary donors throughout Finland in accordance with treatment needs. FRCBS also offer hospitals stem cell and tissue products and services to support organ, tissue and stem cell transplants, and distributes medicinal products. The FRCBS is a non-profit organization with an annual budget of approximately € 66 million. It employs about 550 persons at 16 localities. For more information please visit www.bloodservice.fi.

 

Forward-looking information

This document may contain forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of TiGenix and the market in which it operates. Certain of these statements, forecasts and estimates can be recognised by the use of words such as, without limitation, "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will" and "continue" and similar expressions. They include all matters that are not historical facts. Such statements, forecasts and estimates are based on various assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable when made but may or may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict and may depend upon factors that are beyond the Company's control. Therefore, actual results, the financial condition, performance or achievements of TiGenix, or industry results, may turn out to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements, forecasts and estimates. Given these uncertainties, no representations are made as to the accuracy or fairness of such forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates only speak as of the date of the publication of this document. TiGenix disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statement, forecast or estimates to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto, or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement, forecast or estimate is based, except to the extent required by Belgian law.

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