XOMA And Servier Sign Development And Commercialization Agreement For XOMA 052

BERKELEY, Calif., Jan. 4, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XOMA Ltd. (Nasdaq:XOMA), a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, and Les Laboratoires Servier (Servier), France's largest privately-held pharmaceutical company, today announced the signing of a regional agreement to jointly develop and commercialize XOMA 052, XOMA's anti-inflammatory drug candidate, in multiple indications. XOMA 052 is designed to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 beta that is believed to be a primary trigger of pathologic inflammation in multiple diseases. Key elements of this agreement include:

• XOMA will receive approximately $35 million upfront, up to approximately $470 million in milestone payments and tiered royalties up to a mid-teens percentage rate.  
• XOMA retains development and commercialization rights for Behcet's uveitis and other inflammatory and oncology indications in U.S. and Japan. Servier receives similar rights in the rest of the world.  
• Servier will fund the first $50 million of XOMA 052 development expenses and 50% of further expenses for the Behcet's uveitis indication. XOMA 052 is expected to advance into Phase 3 development in Behcet's uveitis in 2011.  
• Servier will fund development for diabetes and cardiovascular disease indications in exchange for worldwide rights.  
• XOMA retains an option to reacquire the development and commercialization rights to the diabetes and cardiovascular indications in the U.S. and Japan by paying an option fee and partial reimbursement of incurred development expenses. If XOMA reacquires these rights, it has the ability to license them to one or more third parties.

"This is an important collaboration for XOMA as we gain a seasoned partner in Servier and it allows us to accelerate XOMA 052 into Phase 3 development this year in Behcet's uveitis, an orphan indication for which we have reported positive proof-of-concept results. The agreement advances our strategy of focusing on opportunities in the U.S. where we can directly participate in the development and commercialization of our novel products," said Steven B. Engle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, XOMA. "This agreement substantially increases our cash resources while reducing future cash requirements, provides a pathway to commercialization of XOMA 052 in the near term, and supports development in diabetes and cardiovascular disease while maintaining our ability to participate in these programs. As a result, we can accelerate development of a new approach that targets the inflammatory cause of multiple diseases and has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of patients."