Roche Discontinues Co-Development of Transplant Drug

Roche will discontinue its agreement with PDL BioPharma, Inc. for the development and commercialization of daclizumab for organ transplant patients on longer-term maintenance therapy. This decision follows an internal review of its development programs. Earlier this year, Roche discontinued its involvement in the co-development of daclizumab for the treatment of asthma. The agreement between the two companies will end in May 2007.

PDL will hold exclusive development and commercial rights to daclizumab for transplant maintenance and asthma indications, both of which have shown potential based on earlier clinical trials. In a separate collaboration, Biogen Idec and PDL are developing daclizumab in multiple sclerosis and other indications.

“We are evaluating the overall transplant maintenance indication opportunity for daclizumab, while we continue to support the ongoing studies of daclizumab in relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis, and anticipate results from the Phase II study during 2007,” said Mark McDade, chief executive officer, PDL BioPharma. “In the meantime, efforts are ongoing to evaluate partnership opportunities for this important drug in asthma.”