Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABBI), an integrated, global biopharmaceutical company, today announced it has completed the acquisition of the Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Cruce Dávila manufacturing facility in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. This 56-acre site consists of a 172,000 square foot validated manufacturing plant with capabilities of producing EU and US compliant injectable pharmaceuticals, as well as protein based biologics and metered dosed inhalers. In addition, the acquisition includes a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled 90,000 square foot active pharmaceutical ingredients manufacturing plant, and two support facilities with quality assurance and laboratories, totaling 262,000 square feet. Under the terms of the agreement, Abraxis will lease the active pharmaceuticals ingredients plant back to Pfizer. Abraxis expects to begin commercial manufacturing from this site in the first half of 2007.
About Abraxis BioScience, Inc.
Abraxis BioScience, Inc. is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to meeting the needs of critically ill patients. The company develops, manufactures and markets one the broadest portfolios of injectable products and leverages revolutionary technology such as its nab™ platform to discover and deliver breakthrough therapeutics that transform the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The first FDA approved product to use this nab platform, ABRAXANE®, was launched in 2005 for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Abraxis trades on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol ABBI. For more information about the company and its products, please visit www.abraxisbio.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT
The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, hopes, goals, intentions, initiatives or strategies, including statements regarding the timing of transfer of manufacturing capacity to the Puerto Rico facility. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward- looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, integration and transition issues encountered with respect to the facility acquisition, manufacturing and/or regulatory issues with respect to the Puerto Rico and other facilities, the adverse impact of production delays, difficulties or delays in developing, testing, obtaining regulatory approval of, and producing and marketing any products, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the availability and pricing of ingredients used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, the ability to successfully manufacture products in a time-sensitive and cost effective manner, the acceptance and demand of new pharmaceutical products, the impact of patents and other proprietary rights held by competitors and other third parties. Additional relevant information concerning risks can be found in Abraxis BioScience’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and other documents it has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The information contained in this press release is as of the date of this release. Abraxis assumes no obligations to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as the result of new information or future events or developments.
