Re Contract

RNS Number:2280O
Kirin Brewery Co Ld
01 August 2003

PRESS RELEASE

                                                  Kirin Brewery Company, Limited

                                             Takeda Chemical Industries, Limited



               Kirin Licenses Human Antibody Technology To Takeda



Tokyo/Osaka August 1, 2003 --- Kirin Brewery Company, Limited (Kirin) and Takeda
Chemical Industries, Limited (Takeda) announced today that they have entered
into a license agreement in connection with Kirin's TC Mouse(TM) Technology
for the development of fully human antibodies.



Under the terms of this agreement, Takeda will utilize Kirin's TC Mouse(TM)
technology to generate fully human antibodiesto antigens selected by Takeda, who
will also develop, manufacture and sell the antibody products worldwide for
therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. In return, Kirin will receive payments from
Takeda when certain milestones are achieved as well as royalty payments from the
sales of the antibody products.



In 1997, using its proprietary technology to introduce large human chromosomal
fragments into mice, Kirin developed a mouse that produces fully human
antibodies. Kirin formed a strategic alliance with Medarex, Inc., a US based
company, in 1999.  Through its collaboration with Medarex, Kirin has developed
the KM Mouse (TM) 1, and has been providing TC Mouse(TM) Technology to
partners worldwide. Kirin's TC Mouse(TM) Technology is a powerful tool
capable of generating a highly diverse panel of fully human antibodies with high
affinities to antigens2. Kirin has entered into agreements to develop fully
human antibodies with other US companies such as Corixa Corporation and Genzyme
Corporation. Kirin's agreement with Takeda marks the first time that Kirin has
entered into a licensing agreement with a major Japanese pharmaceutical company.



Kirin is also using its proprietary chromosome transfer technology in
collaboration with Hematech LLC of the U.S. to develop a TC Bovine for the
production of fully human antibodies.



Takeda has been focusing on the identification of drug-discovery targets through
the use of genegenome information, and is already achieving a number of results.

In recent years, a combination of technologies from various specialized fields
is necessary for pharmaceutical research and development. While improving
continuously  in-house R&D capabilities, Takeda actively is pursuing all the
possibilities of utilizing outside resources, such as alliances with other
pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, universities, and research
institutions to complement research activities for drug-discovery.





Under the alliance with Kirin, Takeda will start R&D activities for human
antibody therapeutics ofagainst target-proteins discovered by Takeda.








Notes:

1.      KM Mouse is the trade name of a mouse jointly developed by Kirin and
Medarex, Inc. The name derives from the initials of the two companies.  The
mouse was developed using technology from both companies and is one of the 
world's most advanced human antibody producing mice.

2.      The ability of antibodies to bind on to antigens. Antibodies with a high
affinity can effectively bind to antigens.







For further information please contact:

Kirin Brewery, Corporate Communications Department, Tel: [phone]



Takeda Chemical Industries, Corporate Communications Department

Osaka, Tel: [phone]

Tokyo, Tel: [phone]



Further information about Kirin and Takeda is available at their websites:


Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd.                    http://www.kirin.co.jp
Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd.               http://www.takeda.co.jp




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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