Germany - Intervet acquires FMD vaccine factory from Bayer HealthCare AG

Intervet, the animal health business unit of Akzo Nobel, announced the agreement with Bayer HealthCare AG to acquire the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine factory in Cologne, Germany. By acquiring this factory Intervet substantially strengthens its worldwide position in the field of FMD vaccines. The acquisition is expected to be completed in July 2006. Both parties have agreed not to disclose financial details. The site in Cologne will become Intervet’s international competence center for FMD vaccine research, development and production. The factory -in combination with Intervet’s expertise in vaccine production- will significantly contribute to the needs of the market for safe and efficacious FMD vaccines. In addition, this factory will provide an antigen bank, which -under government contracts- can guarantee emergency supply of FMD vaccines. Intervet already owns FMD vaccine production sites, in Brazil (Fortaleza) and India (Pune), that are mainly used to supply their respective national markets. By acquiring the factory in Cologne, Intervet will considerably expand its position in the commercial and institutional sales markets for FMD vaccines in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The factory also significantly increases Intervet’s worldwide capacity for large scale production in fermentors of cell-culture based vaccines. Intervet is world market leader in animal health vaccines.