Dutch biotechnology company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) announced today that it has signed a STAR(TM) licensing agreement with UCB (Euronext: UCB), a leading biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Brussels, making UCB the first European STAR(TM) licensee. The agreement covers a 5-year non-exclusive STAR(TM) research license for the production of monoclonal antibodies.

UCB will evaluate STAR(TM) technology using its proprietary mammalian CHO cell line with a variety of different human and mouse chimeric and humanized antibodies. Under the terms of the agreement, UCB will pay a license issuance fee, milestone fees and annual maintenance fees. Further financial details were not disclosed.

"As a biopharmaceutical leader, UCB is committed to continuously enhancing its drug development," commented Neil Weir, Vice President, Research, UCB. "Therefore, UCB is looking forward to evaluating the STAR(TM) technology in close collaboration with Crucell. This new technology could become a valuable addition to UCB's growing suite of mammalian cell expression technologies, thus potentially increasing UCB's antibody production capabilities."

"We are very pleased to announce the first European STAR(TM) technology licensing agreement," added Crucell's CEO Ronald Brus. "UCB have already licensed our PER.C6® technology, and the addition of a STAR(TM) technology licensing agreement further enhances the relationship between the two companies."