Galapagos receives transparency notifications


Mechelen, Belgium; 26 May 2015 - Galapagos NV (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG) received transparency notifications from the Capital Group Companies, Inc., Fidelity Management and Research LLC, and Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania.

Pursuant to Belgian transparency legislation[1], Galapagos received a transparency notification on 21 May 2015 from the Capital Group Companies, Inc., who notified that since 19 May 2015, entities under its control held 1,795,935 shares, representing 4.68% of the current 38,403,176 outstanding Galapagos shares.  This is compared to the 1,554,436 shares reported in the transparency notice Galapagos received from the Capital Group Companies, Inc., on 5 September 2012.

Galapagos also received a transparency notification on 21 May 2015 from Fidelity Management and Research LLC, who notified that on 19 May 2015, entities under its control held 2,732,508 shares, representing 7.12% of outstanding shares.  This is the first transparency notice received from Fidelity Management and Research LLC.

Galapagos also received a transparency notification on 20 May 2015 from Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania, who notified that on 14 May 2015, it controlled the voting rights attached to the 2,238,000 shares (representing 5.83% of outstanding shares) held by funds managed by it.  This is the first transparency notice received from Federated Equity Management Company of Pennsylvania.

About Galapagos
Galapagos (Euronext & NASDAQ: GLPG) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company specialized in the discovery and development of small molecule medicines with novel modes of action, with a pipeline comprising three Phase 2 programs, two Phase 1 trials, five pre-clinical studies, and 20 discovery small-molecule and antibody programs in cystic fibrosis, inflammation, and other indications.  In the field of inflammation, AbbVie and Galapagos signed a collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of filgotinib.  Filgotinib is an orally-available, selective inhibitor of JAK1 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and potentially other inflammatory diseases, currently in Phase 2B studies in RA and in Phase 2 in Crohn's disease. Galapagos reported good activity and a favorable safety profile at 12 weeks in both the DARWIN 1 and 2 trials in RA.  AbbVie and Galapagos also signed a collaboration agreement in cystic fibrosis to develop and commercialize molecules that address mutations in the CFTR gene.  Potentiator GLPG1837 is currently in a Phase 1 trial, and corrector GLPG2222 is at the pre-clinical candidate stage.  GLPG1205, a first-in-class inhibitor of GPR84 and fully-owned by Galapagos, is currently being tested in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial in ulcerative colitis patients.  GLPG1690, a fully proprietary, first-in-class inhibitor of autotaxin, has shown favorable safety in a Phase 1 trial and is expected to enter Phase 2 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.  The Galapagos Group, including fee-for-service subsidiary Fidelta, has approximately 400 employees, operating from its Mechelen, Belgium headquarters and facilities in The Netherlands, France, and Croatia. 

CONTACT

Galapagos NV
Elizabeth Goodwin, Head of Corporate Communications & IR
Tel: +31 6 2291 6240
ir@glpg.com

Galapagos forward-looking statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements, all of which involve certain risks and uncertainties. These statements are often, but are not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "could," "stands to," "continues," "we believe," "we intend," as well as similar expressions.  Such forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Galapagos, or industry results, to be materially different from any historic or future results, financial conditions, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Among the factors that may result in differences are the inherent uncertainties associated with competitive developments, clinical trial and product development activities, regulatory approval requirements and estimating the commercial potential of our product candidates.  A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks can be found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filing and reports, including in the company's prospectus filed with the SEC on May 14, 2015 and future filings and reports by the company. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document.  Galapagos expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless required by law or regulation.



[1]             Belgian Act of 2 May 2007 on the disclosure of major shareholdings in issuers whose shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market