Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell NV and Sanofi Pasteur have reached an agreement on a series of transactions to restructure their long standing partnership.

Crucell will waive its right to terminate an existing license agreement between Crucell Switzerland and Sanofi Pasteur's subsidiary Shantha Biotechnics Limited (Shantha) for the development of paediatric vaccines, based on Haemophilus influenzae b. This termination right was triggered by the acquisition of Shantha by Sanofi Pasteur in July 2009.

At the same time, Sanofi Pasteur will return to Crucell the commercial rights that Sanofi Pasteur held under an exclusive license agreement for the development and commercialization of a cell-based influenza vaccine (FluCell), based on Crucell's PER.C6 technology. The exclusive license, agreed upon in December 2003, left Crucell with marketing rights for FluCell in Japan only. With the return of the world-wide marketing rights, Crucell will assume full responsibility for the FluCell programme and will commence immediately with the development of a cell-based influenza vaccine.

"We are excited to have the cell-based influenza programme back at Crucell. Together with our Taiwanese partner Adimmune, we have been able to successfully increase the future availability of flu antigen for Inflexal V, our virosomal adjuvanted influenza vaccine," said Crucell's chief executive officer, Ronald Brus. "The introduction of cell-based Inflexal V will be the next giant leap for Crucell's respiratory franchise."

"Combining our intensified PER.C6 production system with our proven virosomal technology creates an exciting new method to produce an influenza vaccine both at large scale and very competitive cost levels," said Crucell's chief medical officer, Jerald Sadoff. "I am confident that we will be able to accelerate this program and expect to apply for licensure in 2014. In addition, our successful partnership with sanofi on the development of our rabies antibody programme is progressing well. This progress with the next generation rabies treatment brings us closer to the moment when all-in-need will get adequate treatment against rabies."

Crucell is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development, production and marketing of vaccines, proteins and antibodies that prevent and/or treat infectious diseases.