BD and UCL Business Reach Exclusive License Agreement to Advance Development of New Diagnostic Tests for Ovarian and Breast Cancers

LONDON and FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Feb. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UCL Business (UCLB), a wholly owned subsidiary of University College London (UCL), and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, announced today an agreement aimed at improving the early detection of ovarian and breast cancers to ultimately enable earlier and more effective treatment.

"This agreement demonstrates how UCL and the Institute for Women's Health have become an international center of excellence for research, clinical care and training in the areas of women's health and cancer," said Professor Ian Jacobs, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Biomedical Science.  "We are delighted by our collaboration with BD and proud that our track record of excellence in cancer research, including laboratory science and major studies, such as the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS), will aid in the research and development of new, more powerful diagnostics for ovarian and breast cancer."

The agreement negotiated by UCLB grants BD exclusive access to UCL's world-class "biobanks," containing more than 200,000 human patient samples collected over multiple years in prospective screening clinical trials for the detection and management of epithelial ovarian cancer.  BD will use these samples to develop and validate new biomarker assays. Financial terms were not disclosed.  

"The key to defeating ovarian and breast cancers is detecting the diseases early and managing them effectively.  This hinges on diagnostic tests that provide clinicians with timely and accurate information," said Wayne Brinster, Vice President and General Manager, Women's Health and Cancer, BD Diagnostics. "To develop new tests, you need to first validate them against a robust set of samples that very few institutions possess to assure the test is performing as planned.  The ability to access UCL's samples and work with its leading researchers represents a major step toward BD's goal of developing and commercializing tests that significantly improve the detection and management of these deadly cancers."

"Our goal for this collaboration with BD is to enable a number of diagnostics to be developed sooner that benefit many who currently suffer from these life-threatening conditions," said Cengiz Tarhan, Managing Director of UCLB.

Ovarian and breast cancer are among the two most deadly cancers for women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women today, after lung cancer.  It also is the most common cancer among women, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers. According to 2007 American Cancer Society statistics (the most recent available), about 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer among women were expected to be diagnosed annually worldwide and about 465,000 were projected to die from the disease.  

In the case of ovarian cancer, more than 204,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide each year, and an estimated 125,000 women die from the disease annually.  In the United Kingdom and United States ovarian cancer is the fourth and fifth leading cause of cancer death among women respectively.  If diagnosed while the cancer is still confined to the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is more than 90 percent.  However, less than 20 percent of all cases are diagnosed at this localized stage.

About UCLB

UCL Business plc is responsible for commercialising innovations arising from the research base at University College London, one of the UK's leading research-led universities. UCL Business undertakes a broad range of knowledge transfer activities, covering the facilitation of consultancy and collaborative research engagements through to technology transfer, company incubation and investment. More information on UCL Business can be found at www.uclb.com.

About BD

BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com.

This press release may, contain certain estimates and other forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including future revenues and earnings per share. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. With respect to forward-looking statements contained herein, a number of factors could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to: the unknown consequences of the recently-enacted healthcare reform in the United States, including the impact of the reduction in Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other customers, which could reduce demand for our products and increase downward pricing pressure; adverse changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions, including any impact that may result from the current global economic downturn on our ability to access credit markets and finance our operations, the demand for our products and services, or our suppliers' ability to provide products needed for our operations; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates; competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; increases in energy costs and their effect on, among other things, the cost of producing BD's products; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD's ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; new or changing laws impacting our business or changes in enforcement practices with respect to such laws; uncertainties of litigation (as described in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission); future healthcare reform, including changes in government pricing and reimbursement policies or other cost containment reforms; the effects of potential pandemic diseases; our ability to successfully integrate any businesses we acquire; and issuance of new or revised accounting standards, as well as other factors discussed in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof except as required by applicable laws or regulations.

SOURCE BD-Becton Dickinson