MedImmune completes acquisition of Definiens

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

AstraZeneca today announced that MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, completed its acquisition of Definiens, a privately-held company that has pioneered a world-leading imaging and data analysis technology, known as Tissue Phenomics™, which dramatically improves the identification of biomarkers in tumour tissue.

As previously announced, the acquisition will help to accelerate further clinical programmes through precise predictive and prognostic biomarker testing. It is believed that using biomarkers to select patients for clinical trials could potentially shorten clinical timelines and increase response rates. As a result, the technology will serve as an important tool in the advancement of the most promising combination therapies across AstraZeneca’s combined small molecule and biologics pipeline, around 80 percent of which currently has a personalised healthcare approach.

Upon completion of the acquisition, MedImmune acquired 100 percent of Definiens’ shares for an initial consideration of $150 million and may make additional predetermined milestone payments. Definiens will continue to offer services to third-party customers.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

About Definiens

Definiens is the leading provider of image analysis and data mining solutions for tissue diagnostics and clinical digital pathology. Definiens technology provides detailed cell-by-cell readouts from target structures on tissue slides and allows the correlation of this information with data derived from other sources, generating new knowledge and supporting better decisions in research, diagnostics and therapy. Definiens' Tissue Phenomics approach was awarded the 2013 Frost and Sullivan Company of the Year Award for Global Tissue Diagnostics and Pathology Imaging. For more information, please visit: www.definiens.com.

About MedImmune

MedImmune is the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca. MedImmune is pioneering innovative research and exploring novel pathways across key therapeutic areas, including respiratory, inflammation and autoimmunity; cardiovascular and metabolic disease; oncology; neuroscience; and infection and vaccines. The MedImmune headquarters is located in Gaithersburg, Md., one of AstraZeneca’s three global R&D centers. For more information, please visit www.medimmune.com.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, oncology, infection and neuroscience diseases. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit: www.astrazeneca.com.

CONTACTS