Baxter Healthcare Corporation and Miltenyi Biotec GmbH have signed an agreement whereby Miltenyi Biotec will have exclusive rights for five years to distribute, market and sell Baxter's cellular therapy products worldwide, with the exception of China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Baxter will continue to manufacture these products.

Baxter's cellular therapy products included in the agreement are the Isolex 300i Magnetic Cell Selection System v2.5, the Cytomate Cell Processing System, as well as preservation and expansion bags used for cryopreservation and cell cultures and biologic reagents.

"We believe that this distribution agreement with Miltenyi is the best way to keep cell selection, preservation and expansion products broadly available to customers worldwide," said Jim Utts, general manager of Baxter Oncology. "Miltenyi Biotec's dedicated focus on cellular therapies and their global sales force will ensure that our customers' needs are met."

"We are very pleased with the agreement we have signed with Baxter," said Stefan Miltenyi, managing director for Miltenyi Biotec. "Not only do these products represent a significant enhancement to our current portfolio, we also gain immediate access to the United States, one of the key growth markets for us. We plan on leveraging our existing distribution infrastructure to continue to provide customers with the quality products and services they require."