Gensia Sicor Acquires 50% Interest in Diaspa S.p.A.

Gensia Sicor Inc. (San Diego, Calif.) has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, SICOR S.p.A., has acquired a 50 percent interest in Diaspa S.p.A., a private Italian pharmaceutical company specializing in bulk fermentation products.

"The acquisition of the fermentation capacity at Diaspa is a major milestone for Gensia Sicor and is a key element of our strategic plan to significantly increase the company's capacity for the production of cyclosporine bulk drug substance to meet the expected demand following the 1997 approval of the bulk cyclosporine produced at SICOR by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Pharmacopoeia," said Donald E. Panoz, chairman and interim CEO of Gensia Sicor. "SICOR has been working with Diaspa for over a year on the contract manufacturing of bulk cyclosporine," Panoz added. "In addition, the Diaspa facility will be used for the production of bulk fermentation products for Gensia Sicor and for other pharmaceutical companies under existing and future contracts."

Gensia Sicor has a long term supply agreement with SangStat, the Transplant Company, to supply SangStat with cyclosporine bulk drug substance. SangStat filed an application for U.S. marketing clearance for its finished cyclosporine drug product in November 1996, which is currently under review at the FDA.

Gensia Sicor Inc. is a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company with expertise in the production of specialty bulk drug substances by synthesis or fermentation, and the development, manufacturing and marketing of injectable pharmaceuticals.