Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX), today announced that the Chinese Authorities have released Hepavax-Gene® for registration and quality control in China.

"The launch of Hepavax-Gene® is a significant advancement in the expansion of Crucell's business in the highly strategic Chinese vaccine market," said Ronald Brus, Crucell's Chief Executive Officer. "Hepavax-Gene® will contribute significantly to the sustainability of our Chinese operations. The Chinese hepatitis B vaccine market is the world's biggest market with approximately 100 million doses administered yearly."

The prospects for Hepavax-Gene® in the Chinese private market are excellent. Hepavax-Gene® will be positioned in the high-end private market segment with a particular focus on young adults. Hepavax-Gene® possesses two decisive advantages; its production is based on Crucell's hansenula polymorpha patented technology and it is 100% free of thiomersal. Thiomersal is a mercury based compound which, in several countries, is being phased out from vaccines given to children to avoid potentially adverse effects.

Hepavax-Gene®
Hepavax-Gene® is a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Since its introduction in 1996, more than 596 million doses have been sold in over 90 countries, making it the third most used hepatitis B vaccine in the world. It is one of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s pre-qualified vaccines for immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV). As one of seven different human hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) viruses, HBV can give rise to acute hepatitis lasting several weeks, but can also result in chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. It is a highly infectious disease and endemic in many parts of the world, with more than 350 million chronic carriers. It claims about one million lives each year.

Hansenula Polymorpha Technology
H. polymorpha patented technology is a broadly applicable protein expression system. It offers a safe and robust platform for industrial scale production of pharmaceuticals including vaccines. Crucell was the first to use the H. polymorpha platform to the process development of its hepatitis B vaccine Hepavax-Gene®. The expression system has proven to be a safe, reliable system for a broad range of industrial proteins.

For more information, please visit www.crucell.com.