Nota: a causa dell'inquinamento nucleare, Dimona è un cluster di diverse patologie. Pochi giorni fa il nuovo capo del Mossad ha detto:"Proteggeremo gli ebrei in tutto il mondo". Riusciranno a proteggere anche quelli di Israele dalla contaminazione causata dai folli nuclearisti? Auguri.

(Rehovot)  15 November 2000: D-Pharm (www.dpharm.com) has acquired a 1200 square meter plant in Dimona, Israel to be operated as the pilot plant for developing and optimizing bulk pharmaceuticals production.  The plant, formerly owned by Neoprobe Israel Ltd., was designed in compliance with the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines for bio-pharmaceuticals production.

D-Pharm is currently in the process of adapting the new facility to serve as a multipurpose facility for optimization and scale-up of bulk active drug production. The pilot plant will also be used for production of clinical batches for studies related to the company’s proprietary drug candidates.

The first task intended for the new plant will be to develop an optimized production process for DP-VPA, the Company’s clinical phase product for epilepsy, bi-polar disease and migraine. DP-VPA has been licensed to Shire Pharmaceuticals Group for worldwide clinical development and marketing.  D-Pharm has retained manufacturing rights and intends to control the supply of bulk DP-VPA for commercial use.

The pilot plant is located in southern Israel in the heart of Israel’s chemical industry, near Ben-Gurion
University, in Beer Sheva.  This location is expected to yield multiple benefits to the company, including availability of experienced technical personnel and eligibility for government incentives.

“We are extremely proud of our new acquisition”, said Dr. Alex Kozak, President and CEO of D-Pharm Ltd. “The plant will enhance our technological capabilities and know-how and position us a partner of choice in terms of production related technologies in addition to our inventive capabilities”. “This is in line with the company strategy to maximize the future revenue streams by controlling the bulk supply of D-Pharm’s proprietary  products”, he added.

“By acquiring the ex-Neoprobe facility, D-Pharm is transmitting a clear signal that it is moving towards becoming an integrated pharmaceutical company and a much stronger potential partner for big pharma. Furthermore, D-Pharm expects to employ over 30 workers in the plant, a number we hope will grow as the plant becomes operational,” said Dr. David Haselkorn, the Company’s Chairman of the Board.  “It will offer employment opportunities and will help to create a positive employment environment in the Dimona and Southern region district,” he continued.

About D-Pharm

D-Pharm is a specialty biopharmaceutical company applying innovative drug re-engineering technologies to the development of new drugs.  These include newly-discovered compounds and improved, patent-protected derivatives of existing drugs for treatment of neurological disorders, cerebrovascular diseases, inflammation, cancer and AIDS.  DP-b99, D-Pharm's neuroprotective agent for stroke recently successfully completed of the first stage of an ongoing Phase I safety assessment. World-wide rights to develop and market DP-VPA, the company’s Phase II product for epilepsy, bipolar disorder and migraine prophylaxis was licensed in March to Shire Pharmaceuticals.
For further information, visit: www.dpharm.com.

Company Contacts:
 
Dr. Yaffa Beck, Executive Vice President and COO
Tel: +972-8-9300794
Fax: +972-8-9300795
info@dpharm.com
 
 
Mr. Albert Lauritano, VP, D-Pharm US, Inc.
Tel: 1- 919-928-0772
Fax: 1-919-928-0771
dpharmus@earthlink.net