Leiden, The Netherlands, January 24, 2007 - Dutch biotechnology company Crucell N.V. (Euronext, NASDAQ: CRXL; Swiss Exchange: CRX) today announced that it had received a European Union-funded grant aimed at advancing the development of a malaria vaccine. The ¿2.4 million grant, which was awarded to a Crucell-led consortium of six leading European Universities and companies in the field of malaria research, will finance pre-clinical studies toward an affordable, safe and efficacious two-component pediatric malaria vaccine.

"We are grateful to the EU for its decision to give us this grant," said Dr. Jaap Goudsmit, Crucell's Chief Scientific Officer. "The grant is important to our efforts to develop a malaria vaccine." Dr. Goudsmit added: "The grant will go a long way toward streamlining Crucell's focus on the fundamental global needs for a much-needed malaria vaccine."

About Malaria
Malaria is one of the biggest killers among communicable diseases today. It is caused by the Plasmodium parasite and transmitted from person-to-person through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. The disease currently represents one of the most prevalent infections in tropical and subtropical areas causing severe illness in 300 to 500 million individuals worldwide and causing up to three million deaths every year. Most of these deaths occur among children and pregnant women in the developing world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Although the overwhelming majority of morbidity and mortality associated with malaria occur in the developing world, the disease also affects travelers.