ACE BioSciences & SynCo Bio Partners Collaborate in GMP Manufacture of First Commercial Vaccine for Severe Travellers' Diarrhoea Vaccine Moves Into Development Following Strong Pre-Clinical Results

ODENSE, Denmark and AMSTERDAM, Holland, March 16, 2005....ACE BioSciences A/S, the emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on infectious diseases and SynCo Bio Partners, the leading vaccines and biopharmaceuticals manufacturer are to collaborate on the GMP production of ACE BioSciences' lead product, ACE 393, the world's first commercial vaccine for travellers' diarrhoea caused by Campylobacter. The move follows very encouraging pre-clinical research.

Under the terms of the agreement, SynCo will work with ACE BioSciences to develop and implement a competitive and scalable process for the manufacture of the vaccine, which combats infection by Campylobacter jejuni, the bacterium responsible for severe travellers diarrhoea. SynCo will deliver the initial well characterized vaccine for ongoing preclinical testing during 2005 and it will provide clinical grade material by the end of quarter one 2006.

Ms Ingelise Saunders, ACE BioSciences' CEO commented, 'This is a landmark deal for ACE BioSciences as we move our focus onto drug development rather than research. SynCo BioPartners has a strong track record in process development, GMP manufacture and commercial vaccine production. As part of this collaboration we will share our pioneering proteomics technology with SynCo to further strengthen their protein-based vaccine production capabilities. This will enable ACE BioSciences and SynCo to deliver highly characterized and high purity vaccines, which should have more predictable efficacy and have superior side-effect profiles.'

Mr Pierre Warffemius, CEO of SynCo said 'We are delighted that ACE BioSciences has selected SynCo as its partner of choice to undertake both the process development and GMP production of ACE 393. We aim to establish a long-term relationship with ACE BioSciences to support the consistent, high quality production of their expanding vaccine portfolio and we look forward to working together with ACE BioSciences in implementing leading edge technologies in the development and characterization of new protein based vaccines.'

Campylobacter is the greatest cause of bacterial diarrhoeal infections in the developed world and the leading cause of enteritis in the world, accounting for more cases, hospitalizations and deaths than E coli provoked food borne illness (Source: The World Health Organisation). ACE 393 is based on novel cell surface protein derived from Campylobacter jejuni, which is responsible for 99% of Campylobacter infections. The annual global market for a Campylobacter vaccine is estimated to be worth $300 million. ACE BioSciences is actively seeking a development partner for this project.