Pharming Group Announces Publication of Its Annual Report 2018 and a Provisional Commitment to Invest in Supplier

LEIDEN, Netherlands, March 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights:  

• Annual Report 2018 is available for download on the Pharming website today at http://www.pharming.com/investors/financial-documents
• Printed copies will be available from mid-April upon application to [e-mail]
• Pharming also announces a provisional commitment to invest in a minority stake in its fill & finish partner BioConnection BV

Pharming Group N.V. ("Pharming" or "the Company") (Euronext Amsterdam: PHARM) announces publication of its Annual Report for the financial year ended 31 December 2018. The Company also announces that it has made a provisional commitment to invest up to €1.6 million in cash and convert €2.5 million of prepayments into equity in its fill & finish partner BioConnection BV, which manufactures the final sealed vials of Pharming's product RUCONEST from the purified drug substance.

BioConnection BV is a fast-growing profitable private company with a global customer base. To match a growing demand of GMP fill & finish services in the biopharmaceutical market, BioConnection is seeking to expand its manufacturing and production capacity.  As one of its largest customers and one which will benefit strongly from the increased capacity in due course, Pharming has agreed to take a minority stake in the company.

Other current shareholders of BioConnection are also supporting the company with additional investments.  The investment, which is still subject to agreement on final documentation, is expected to close next week.  

Chief Executive Officer Sijmen de Vries said:  

"BioConnection has been an excellent partner for Pharming for many years, and is an important part of our future plans. While we do not intend to take an active operational role in the company, its successful expansion will directly benefit Pharming as we look to increase capacity to support growing demand for RUCONEST and as we expand our pipeline." 

About BioConnection B.V. 

BioConnection B.V. (http://www.bioconnection.eu) is a Dutch contract manufacturing organization which offers flexible state-of-the-art development and GMP-compliant manufacturing services for sterile drug products. BioConnection is specialized in Fill and Finish including freeze-drying, technology transfers, scale-up and validations. BioConnection offers complete drug product manufacture service packages based on tailor-made solutions and customer-oriented flexibility from its own FDA and EMA accredited facility in Oss in the Netherlands.