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Genmab A/S

Genmab, Medarex and Glaucus announce collaboration to develop human antibody therapeutics and proteomics technology
"Highest quality antibodies" for the Human Proteome Project

McLean, Virginia (ots-PRNewswire) -

Genmab A/S (CSE: GEN and Neuer
Markt: GE9D), Medarex (Nasdaq: MEDX), and Glaucus Proteomics B.V., a
privately held company incorporated in The Netherlands, announced
today that they have entered into a collaboration to develop new
antibody therapeutic products to novel disease targets discovered by
Glaucus.
Using Medarex's HuMAb-Mouse(R) technology, Glaucus intends over
the forthcoming years to establish a warehouse of fully human
antibodies that will be used to construct an antibody reporter
matrix.  Glaucus expects to use the matrix for signature profiling of
human tissues in health and disease via chip-based differential
analysis of protein expression levels, i.e. in a manner similar to a
cDNA biochip, but directed at the molecular workhorses of biology -
proteins.
Apart from screening applications, some of these human antibodies
are expected to be employed for diagnostics and therapeutic
applications.  In exchange for the rights to use fully human
antibodies in connection with its proteomics technology, Glaucus will
provide all the novel targets it discovers through its own research
efforts using the HuMAb technology to the collaboration.  The
alliance is intended to help ensure rapid progress from target
discovery to the development of therapeutic agents.  Further details
relating to experimental procedures and current deliverables in this
sector will be reported today by Glaucus at the first Human Proteome
Project meeting in McLean, Virginia.
"Our high affinity human antibodies married to proteomics
technology are an ideal partnership," said Lisa. N. Drakeman, Ph.D.,
Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.  "We believe that this
collaboration has the potential to discover vital information about
many disease states and to provide many novel disease targets that
could lead to numerous new antibody products.  This fits in with
Genmab's business plan to develop a broad portfolio of new antibody
therapies."
"We believe that proteomics and human antibodies will lead to many
opportunities for new disease treatments, and we are extremely
pleased to be working together with Glaucus and Genmab to achieve
that goal," said Donald L. Drakeman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Medarex.
"With Medarex and Genmab, we intend to transform a powerful
enabling technology in proteomics that is centred on target discovery
into one which is also linked to a drug warehouse of pre-screened
fully human antibodies.  We are delighted to work together with such
prestigious partners in the field of monoclonal antibodies", said the
COO of Glaucus, Prof. Ian Humphery-Smith, speaking from the Human
Proteome Project Meeting in McLean, Virginia.  "For us, it is of
paramount importance to access the highest quality antibodies from
the outset of a program designed to raise antibodies against the
constituents of the human proteome.  Indeed, it would appear highly
counter productive for us to identify targets on such a large scale
using antibodies, if we then had to raise another set of human
antibodies to the very same targets for therapeutic applications. 
Thus, not only does this present a cost-effective route going
forward, we believe it opens up several highly attractive business
models to the signatories of this alliance both in the short and
longer term."
"It is unlikely that the Human Proteome Project will be completed
without the systematic development of high affinity and high
specificity antibodies directed against the output of each and every
Open Reading Frame in the Human Genome.  The advantage of traditional
hybridoma technologies for the production of monoclonal antibodies is
the high ligand-binding affinities produced, which ultimately may
translate into potentially useful assay sensitivity," said Prof.
Humphery-Smith.
Immunisation and antibody screening procedures will be conducted
in parallel and based on Glaucus technologies for rendering antibody
production genomically relevant. In addition, it is expected that
Medarex, Genmab and Glaucus will identify further areas for
synergistic activities and mutual benefit during the course of this
agreement.
In order to evaluate both ligand recognition and potential target
cross-reactivity, antibodies will have been screened against large
numbers of recombinant antigens laid down on glass slides using
Glaucus proprietary surface chemistries and employing proprietary
extreme-HTS robotic engines capable of screening more than
100,000,000 ELISA-equivalents per day per robot.  The latter robots
have recently completed two years of prototyping and are awaiting
shipping to Glaucus facilities in The Netherlands.  For more
information about Glaucus, visit http://www.GlaucusProt.com .
Genmab A/S is a biotechnology company that creates and develops
fully human antibodies for the treatment of life-threatening and
debilitating diseases.  Genmab has four products in development to
treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions,
and intends to assemble a broad portfolio of new therapeutic products
arising from research into the human genome.  At present, Genmab's
commercial opportunities are based upon research conducted at leading
international companies, such as Immunex Corporation, Gemini Genomics
plc, Oxford GlycoSciences Ltd., Eos Biotechnology Inc. and Medarex,
Inc. as well as in its own laboratories.  A broad alliance provides
Genmab with access to Medarex's array of proprietary technologies,
including the UltiMAb(TM) platform for the rapid creation and
development of fully human antibodies to virtually any disease
target. For more information about Genmab, visit www.genmab.com
Medarex is a biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal
antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer and other
life-threatening and debilitating diseases.  Medarex has assembled a
broad platform of patented technologies for antibody discovery and
development, including the UltiMAb(TM) Human Antibody Development
System(SM) for the creation of high-affinity, fully human antibodies;
T-12 Development(SM) offering the potential to move from target to
trial in approximately 12 months; and Trans-Phage Technology(SM)
combining high throughput screening with fully human antibody
development. Medarex creates and develops fully human antibodies for
itself and others, offering a full range of antibody development
capabilities, including pre-clinical and clinical manufacturing
services.  For more information about Medarex, visit its Web site at
http://www.medarex.com .
Except for the historical information presented herein, matters
discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that
are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. 
Statements that are not historical facts, including statements
preceded by, followed by, or that include the words "believes";
"anticipates"; "plans"; "expects"; "estimates"; or similar statements
are forward-looking statements.
For Medarex:  Risks and uncertainties include risks associated
with product discovery and development as well as risks detailed from
time to time in Medarex's public disclosure filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including its Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, subsequent
Form 10-Q and Form 8-K filings or in Genmab's filings with the
Copenhagen Stock Exchange and the Neuer Markt. Copies of Medarex's
public disclosure filings are available from its investor relations
department.  There can be no assurance that such development efforts
will succeed, that such products will receive required regulatory
clearance or that, even if such regulatory clearance were received,
such products would ultimately achieve commercial success.
HuMAb-Mouse(R) is a registered trademark of Medarex, Inc. 
UltiMAb(TM) is a trademark of Medarex, Inc.  Human Antibody
Development System(SM), T-12 Development(SM) and Trans-Phage
Technology(SM) are service marks of Medarex, Inc.
ots Original Text Service: Genmab A/S
Internet: www.newsaktuell.ch

Contact:

Dr. Lisa N. Drakeman, Chief Executive Officer,
Genmab A/S, phone +45-7020-2728 or
Dr. Donald L. Drakeman, President and CEO, Medarex, Inc.,
phone +1 609-430-2880 or
Kelly O'Brien, Middleberg Euro for Genmab and Medarex,
phone +1 212-699-2541 or email kelly@middleberg.com or
Prof. Ian Humphery-Smith, Chief Operating Officer,
Glaucus Proteomics B.V., phone +31-30-24-33-834

Internet:
www.GlaucusProt.com or
www.medarex.com or
www.genmab.com