The preparation for production of CVac™ for the European trial has already commenced, and Prima BioMed Ltd and the Fraunhofer IZI are working together to prepare the facility to support CVac™ clinical trials in Europe in early 2011. This represents a significant milestone on the pathway to commercialisation of CVac™ in the European market. In addition the agreement with Fraunhofer provides a number of other key benefits to Prima BioMed Ltd. Fraunhofer is among the foremost R&D institutes in Europe and it has strong collaborative networks throughout academia, government, and industry. Fraunhofer will help enhance the visibility of the CVac™ clinical program in Europe and globally.

Prima Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director for Europe, Matthew Lehman said: “The Fraunhofer Institute is among the foremost research and development organisations in the world and Prima is delighted to enter into this collaborative arrangement (…)”. Fraunhofer IZI Head of Cell Therapy Production, Dr. Gerno Schmiedeknecht, commented: “Cell therapies are a cutting-edge technology with the potential to significantly benefit patients. The Fraunhofer IZI is at the forefront of this technology in Europe and we are very excited to help develop Prima’s CVac™.”

The cooperation partners are going to apply at the Saxony Bank (Sächsische Aufbaubank SAB).