Chiron and Hoechst Marion Roussel Establish Vaccines Joint Venture

Chiron Corporation and Hoechst Marion Roussel Limited (HMR) have formed a vaccines joint venture to be based in India. The joint venture, to be known as Chiron Behring Vaccines Private Ltd., will be owned 51% by Chiron and 49% by HMR. Initially, the joint venture will manufacture Rabipur, a rabies vaccine, for distribution in India and other Asian countries.

The joint venture has purchased HMR's existing cell culture rabies vaccine manufacturing facility located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, India, which uses Behring's, now Chiron Behring's, production technology. HMR will market the joint venture's products in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while Chiron will market the joint venture's products in the rest of the world. HMR will also market certain vaccines manufactured at Chiron's facilities in Siena, Italy and Marburg, Germany, including vaccines against Hepatitis A, Hemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and measles/mumps/rubella.

According to Chiron, the predominant vaccines currently available in India and the surrounding area are nerve tissue vaccines generally considered less safe and effective than cell culture vaccines such as Chiron's anti-rabies product.

For more information: Chiron Corporation, 4560 Horton Street, Emeryville, CA 94608. Tel: 510-655-8730; Fax: 510-655-9910.