New investments by Chiron Vaccines at Rosia

Siena (ots) - Chiron Vaccines, a Business Unit of California-based Chiron Corporation, has announced that it has allocated 29 million Euro for the realization of fermentation and purification systems for glyco-conjugated bacterialvaccine production and all related infrastructures at its manufacturing site in Rosia, Italy.

"The considerable amount allocated for the construction of the new building and for the creation of the services to support the manufacturing activities represents both an acknowledgment from Chiron headquarters of the validity of Chiron Vaccines�' results to date and a demonstration of the important role that the Italian site will play in the manufacturing structure of Chiron Vaccines," says Luca Guerzoni, Managing Director of Chiron S.p.A.

The new structure will be integrated with the already existing buildings, where 200 employees currently work, and will meet medium and long term plans for development. "The new building will have five floors, of which the first three are intended for the new plant. The premises will be divided according to a strategic concept, with the concentration of all manufacturing bulk activities (antigen concentrates) in controlled areas, on a single floor, between two floors designed for technical services. This will allow us on the one hand to expand by fourfold the spaces available at present for such activity, and on the other hand, to streamline any maintenance operations. The remaining two floors of the building will be available for future investments aimed at research and development of new vaccines," says Thomas Lingelbach, head of Industrial Operations of Chiron Vaccines.

"The uniqueness of this investment is not only due to the innovative concept of the building, designed to support the high quality of final products in accordance with CGMP manufacturing standards, but above all to its special place in the whole Italian scenario of vaccine production," notes Vittoria Pellegrini, who is responsible for the Italian bulk production. "The new system for the production of bacterial glyco-conjugated vaccines will allow us to be more effective in the production of paediatric vaccines, field in which Chiron has distinguished itself recently with its anti-meningococcal C vaccine, which is highly immunogenic and effective for infants from two months of age." It is particularly on meningitis, in all its bacterial forms, that Chiron Vaccines plans to focus attention in the next few years, continuing at the same time in the development of new recombinant vaccines, particularly those based on the Haemophilus influenzae, also in close cooperation with external partners.

The construction work at the new plant is expected to start by the end of 2002 and will take approximately 24 months for completion.

ABOUT CHIRON

Chiron Corporation, headquartered in Emeryville, California, is a global pharmaceutical company that leverages a diverse business model to develop and commercialize high-value products that make a difference in people�'s lives. The company has a strategic focus on cancer and infectious disease. Chiron applies its advanced understanding of the biology of cancer and infectious disease to develop products from its platforms in proteins, small molecules and vaccines. The company commercializes its products through three business units: biopharmaceuticals, vaccines and blood testing.

Chiron Corporation is listed on Nasdaq

ABOUT CHIRON VACCINES

Chiron Vaccines, the fifth largest vaccine business in the world, currently offers more than 30 novel and conventional vaccines for adults and children. Chiron Vaccines�' mission is to bring to the market, through innovation and creativity, biological solutions needed for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. Every second, 25 people across more than 70 countries of the world are vaccinated with a Chiron vaccine.

ots Original Text Service: Chiron Vaccines

Internet: http://www.presseportal.de

For more information about Chiron, visit the company�'s website at www.chiron.com

Contacts:

Donatella Latocca - tel. +39 0577/243256 -- donatella_latocca@chiron.it

Eleonora Vannuccini - tel. +39 0577/243318 -- eleonora_vannuccini@chiron.it