Life Technologies Enters into an Exclusive License and Supply Agreement for Dynabeads

CARLSBAD, Calif., July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced that the company has signed a long-term supply and exclusive licensing agreement  with Novartis for immunotherapeutics involving T cells modified to express chimeric antigen receptors for the treatment of cancer. Life Technologies will provide the company's proprietary technology, Dynabeads® CD3/CD28 CTS™, which possess unique biological properties suited to production of active, therapeutically relevant immune system cells.

The agreement includes rights to use Life Technologies' intellectual property to perform the resulting therapy, and is exclusive for use in the field of chimeric antigen receptors for the treatment of cancer.

"The collaboration with Novartis highlights the distinct capabilities that Life Technologies can provide in the therapeutic realm," said Greg Lucier, chairman and chief executive officer of Life Technologies. "Taken with our previous announcements of companion diagnostic collaborations, the current agreement demonstrates how Life is uniquely positioned to facilitate drug development through alliances with pharma."

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell based immunotherapy constitutes a novel, individualized method of combating cancers. Novartis is working to commercialize technology developed at the University of Pennsylvania that has demonstrated startling efficacy in research studies. In two 2011 publications^1,2, University of Pennsylvania researchers described application of immunotherapy in three patients, all of whom experienced durable complete or partial remission of their cancers within three to four weeks of treatment. A 2013 publication in the New England Journal of Medicine described complete responses with one ongoing in two children with leukemia³.

The personalized therapy consists of removing blood cells from cancer patients; isolating  and activating T cells; genetically modifying the T cells thereby programming those cells to recognize and attack cancer cells; expanding  the T cells; and, lastly, introducing those cells back into the body so the patient's immune system can take over. Under the terms of the current agreement, Life Technologies' Dynabeads® CD3/CD28 CTS™, will be used to isolate, activate and expand the T cells.

"Dynabeads ® CD3/CD28 CTS™ have unique properties that are ideal for producing a robust immunotherapeutic," said Oystein Aamellem, head of Cellular Medicine at Life Technologies. "Not only do the beads assure that T cells are separated from any unwanted cells, it also triggers the T cells to reproduce in a natural and controlled manner, ensuring a therapeutically relevant population is transferred back into the patient."

"The current agreement with Novartis represents a significant step in the growth of Life Technologies from a research tools provider to a leading medical device company," said Lucier. "We're very excited about the opportunity to work with Novartis to deliver novel therapeutics to fill a critical need in cancer care."

¹Chimeric Antigen Receptor–Modified T Cells in Chronic Lymphoid Leukemia. Porter, David L., et. al.; N Engl J Med 2011; 365:725-733.

²T Cells with Chimeric Antigen Receptors Have Potent Antitumor Effects and Can Establish Memory in Patients with Advanced Leukemia. Kalos, Michael, et. al.; Sci Transl Med 10 August 2011: Vol. 3, Issue 95, p. 95.

³Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells for acute lymphoid leukemia. Grupp, Stephan A., et al.; N Engl J Med 2013; 368;1509-1518

Dynabeads® CD3/CD28 CTS™ are For Research Use or Manufacturing of Cell, Gene, or Tissue-Based Products. Caution: Not intended for direct administration into human or animals or For Investigational Use Only.

About Life Technologies
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company that is committed to providing the most innovative products and services to leading customers in the fields of scientific research, genetic analysis and applied sciences. With a presence in more than 180 countries, the company's portfolio of 50,000 end-to-end solutions is secured by more than 5,000 patents and licenses that span the entire biological spectrum -- scientific exploration, molecular diagnostics, 21^st century forensics, regenerative medicine and agricultural research. Life Technologies has approximately 10,000 employees and had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about Life Technologies' anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

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Life Technologies Contact:

Suzanne Clancy
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SOURCE Life Technologies Corporation