Merial To Screen Chimerix' Chemical Library For Animal Health Drug Leads
DULUTH, GA, and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, January 29, 2007 - Merial Limited and Chimerix, Inc. announced today that they have signed an agreement under which Merial will screen a Chimerix chemical library for animal health drug leads. Under the terms of this agreement, Merial has an option to negotiate a license with Chimerix for leads identified for possible animal health use.
"This collaboration with Chimerix provides us with an opportunity to further expand our ability to identify novel active compounds that will form the basis of new products designed to meet our customers' future needs," states Dr. Peter Hanson, Head of Pharmaceutical R&D.
"Collaborating with Merial, a known leader in animal health, will allow us to capitalize on active leads obtained through our chemical library for animal health indications that otherwise may not be developed,” stated George Painter, President and CEO of Chimerix. “Our company is excited about the possibility of contributing to the development of a medication that will positively impact the health and well-being of animals.”
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs more than 5,000 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2007 sales were nearly $2.5 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between Merck & Co., Inc. and sanofi-aventis. For more information, please see www.merial.com.
About Chimerix
Chimerix, Inc. discovers, develops and commercializes therapeutics with enhanced pharmaceutical properties that are active against a broad range of viral diseases. Leveraging a powerful lipid, prodrug technology, ProLipTag™, Chimerix is able to develop drug candidates with oral-availability, increased potency and targeted delivery. These enhanced pharmaceutical properties can be applied to new drug moieties or known drugs to improve dosing parameters, broaden therapeutic applications and decrease the risk of adverse events. For more information, please see www.chimerix-inc.com.
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