Crucell, DSM To Open Biotech R&D Center

Dutch biotechnology company Crucell NV (Leiden, Netherlands, www.crucell.com) andits technology partner DSM Biologics BV, a business unit of Royal DSMNV (Heerlen, Netherlands, www.dsm.com) will open a new research and developmentcenter that will specialize on further developing the "PER.C6" humancell line for the expression of recombinant pharmaceutical proteins.

The fit-out of the new center will take place over the coming months.Recruitment of some 50 scientific and support staff has started, andcommencement of operations is expected before the end of 2006. Thefacility will be located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The center will provide a fully integrated technology platform andturnkey solutions for the production of pharmaceutical proteins to thebiotech industry and the scientific community. This PER.C6 technologyplatform will comprise cell-line generation technology, tailoredcell-culture media, fermentation processes, equipment design, scale-up,technology transfer, and regulatory support. The R&D center willhave dedicated space for "PER.C6" users to experience the technologyhands on.

Crucell and DSM also announced that Marco Cacciuttolo has acceptedthe position of CEO of their joint PER.C6 R&D center.Cacciuttolo has occupied positions of increasing responsibility atMedImmune, Inc  (Gaithersburg, MD, www.medimmune.com)and most recently at Medarex, Inc. (Princeton, NJ, www.medarex.com) as the vice-president of technical operations.