CONCORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) announced today that it has entered
into an agreement with Biomedica Foscama Group S.p.A (BFG) to distribute
the INTERCEPT Blood System for plasma and platelets in Italy, with a
goal of expanding the adoption of pathogen inactivation to improve blood
safety. More than 200,000 platelet and over 400,000 plasma units are
produced annually by Italian blood centers for transfusion.
Under the agreement, BFG will be the exclusive distributor for the
INTERCEPT Blood System in Italy, Vatican City and San Marino. BFG’s
responsibilities include the promotion, sale, deployment and support of
INTERCEPT.
“The Biomedica Foscama Group offers extensive experience within the
medical and pharmaceutical space, coupled with established relationships
in Italian hospitals,” said Caspar Hogeboom, president of Cerus Europe
and EEMEA. “As such, we believe that Biomedica is well positioned to
support Cerus in Italy. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
“Cerus’ INTERCEPT Blood System complements our portfolio and fits our
mission to provide patients with safe, effective medical products that
improve their quality of life,” added Alessandra Baldassari, chief
executive officer of the Biomedica Foscama Group.
In addition to the distribution agreement, BFG has collaborated with
Cerus for the past nine years through its manufacture and supply of a
key component for Cerus’ INTERCEPT System for red blood cells.
ABOUT BIOMEDICA FOSCAMA GROUP S.p.A.
Established in Italy since 1947, the Biomedica Foscama Group specializes
in the production, distribution and promotion of medical devices,
nutritional supplements, as well as therapeutic drugs used in oncology,
neuropathy, and internal medicine in Italy and abroad. Biomedica also
offers healthcare providers pharmacovigilance services in which drug
safety activities are monitored and evaluated to help ensure efficacy
and favorable risk/benefit profiles for their products. Biomedica prides
itself on adhereing to a high code of ethics and compliance standards
while providing products that improve patients’ quality of life. See http://www.biomedicafoscama.com
for more information.
ABOUT CERUS
Cerus Corporation is a biomedical products company focused in the field
of blood safety. Cerus currently markets and sells the INTERCEPT Blood
System for both platelets and plasma in Europe, the Commonwealth of
Independent States, the Middle East and selected countries in other
regions around the world. In the United States, Cerus is seeking
regulatory approval of the INTERCEPT Blood System for plasma and
platelets. The INTERCEPT red blood cell system is in clinical
development.
See http://www.cerus.com
for more information.
INTERCEPT and the INTERCEPT Blood System are trademarks of Cerus
Corporation.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Any
statements contained in this press release that are not statements of
historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements relating to the anticipated
support and expected sales growth resulting from the appointment of BFG
as Cerus’ exclusive distributor in Italy. These forward-looking
statements are based upon Cerus’ current expectations. Actual results
could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a
result of certain factors, including, without limitation, risks
associated with the commercialization and market acceptance of, and
customer demand for, the INTERCEPT Blood System; adverse market and
economic conditions; and other risks detailed in the Cerus' filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including in Cerus' annual
report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, filed with the
SEC on August 8, 2014. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of
this press release. Cerus does not undertake any obligation to update
any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future
events, changed assumptions or otherwise.
Source: Cerus Corporation