US Department of Defense Order - US$5.2m of Relenza
Melbourne Australia?19 April 2006.
Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA) today advise that the US Department of Defense
have awarded GlaxoSmithKline a contract for Relenza. Biota receives a royalty of
7% on all GSK sales of Relenza.
An extract of a News Release from the US Department of Defense, Office of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) dated 12 April 2006 is as follows:
?GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Philadelphia, Pa., is being awarded a maximum $5,248,986
firm fixed price requirements contract for zanamivir inhalation (relenza) packages for
Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. There were 2 proposals solicited and 2
responded. Date of performance completion is March 31, 2007. The contracting
activity is the DSCP, Philadelphia, Pa. (SP0200-06-D-0001).?
The full release is available at:
www.dod.mil/contracts.GlaxoSmithKline has confirmed the order to Biota.
About Biota
Biota is a world-leading antiviral drug discovery company based in Melbourne, with
key expertise in viral respiratory diseases, particularly influenza. Biota developed
the first-in-class neuraminidase inhibitor drug, zanamivir, (Relenza) and through a
partnership with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) brought it to market. Relenza is currently
being stockpiled by various governments for defense against avian influenza.
Work has been underway at Biota for some time to develop a new generation of
neuraminidase inhibitors designed to be more active and longer acting than the first
generation products.
Biota also collaborated with Inverness Medical to develop the FLU OIA influenza
diagnostics range for the rapid detection of influenza, which has been marketed
since 1999.
?Relenza is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies
®FLU OIA is a registered trademark of Thermo Electron Corporation
*Further information available at
www.biota.com.au.Investor / Analyst Enquiries Media Enquiries
Peter Cook: T: + 61 3 9915 3720 Tim Duncan / Nerida Mossop
Damian Lismore: T: + 61 3 9915 3721 Hinton & Associates
T: +61 3 9600 1979
For Immediate Release