KING OF PRUSSIA, Pennsylvania, December 19 /PRNewswire/ --

- High levels of Type III von Willebrand Disease, a serious, hereditary bleeding disorder, found in region

CSL Behring today announced that Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) has granted rights to the company to distribute Haemate(R) P on an exclusive basis throughout Iran, beginning immediately. Haemate P is indicated for the treatment of von Willebrand Disease, a serious, hereditary, and sometimes life-threatening condition caused by a deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand factor, a protein in the blood that is necessary for normal blood clotting. Women with some forms of von Willebrand Disease (VWD) are at greater risk for miscarriage, life-threatening bleeding following surgery and childbirth, and for undergoing unnecessary hysterectomies.

CSL Behring will be the first and only company to bring VWD treatment to Iran this year, where the incidence of the condition is reportedly up to 10 times higher than in other areas of the world.

"By introducing Haemate P into Iran, CSL Behring is offering many Type III VWD patients a safe, effective alternative to treating a health condition that can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life, and that, at times, can even be life-threatening," said Paul Perreault, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Commercial Operations at CSL Behring. "Our company's mission to help those whose lives are affected by serious medical disorders is being fulfilled through the excellent collaboration we have achieved with the MOHME. We look forward to continuing this partnership and to finding new ways to support efforts to bring safe, effective plasma-derived therapies to the region." Perreault added that, while Factor VIII and IX concentrate products are widely used and accessible in Iran, no specific von Willebrand product or VWD treatment guidelines were available there. Instead, cryoprecipitate has been regarded as first-line treatment for the condition.

"The Iranian medical community is extremely pleased and gratified to be making preparations for the arrival of Haemate P into Iran," said Professor Mehran Karimi, University of Shiraz. "Nearly 700 patients with Type III von Willebrand Disease will now benefit from having access to the world's leading treatment. We look forward to finding ways to collaborate further with CSL Behring in the near future in order to serve these patients and others."

The MOHME will purchase 20,000 vials of Haemate P in 500 IU vials in the first year of launch, administering it in four treatment centers throughout Iran. CSL Behring and the MOHME plan to collaborate on VWD testing, detection and treatment projects to benefit Iranian families impacted by VWD.

About von Willebrand Disease

Von Willebrand disease is caused by a deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand factor, a protein in the blood that is necessary for normal blood clotting. Men and women are equally likely to be affected by VWD. VWD is classified by types, ranging from Type I (the most common and mild) to Type III (the most severe).

According to the World Federation for Hemophilia, VWD is found in approximately 1-2 percent of the world's population, although that prevalence is much higher in certain countries such as Iran.

Common symptoms of VWD include frequent nosebleeds and easy bruising. Bleeding can be mild or serious and can occur as a result of injury, or without any obvious cause. More serious symptoms include bleeding into joints and internal organs. Women with VWD are more likely to experience heavy, prolonged menstruation.

Individuals with the more severe form of VWD should avoid unnecessary trauma, such as contact sports. The VWD patient may require special care during dental procedures, surgery and childbirth.

There is no "cure" for VWD, but it can be treated. Specific treatments may include desmopressin acetate to release stored von Willebrand factor; von Willebrand factor replacement therapies, such as Haemate-P, Antihemophilic Factor/von Willebrand Factor Complex (Human) Dried, Pasteurized; and oral contraceptives to reduce menstrual bleeding and raise von Willebrand factor in the bloodstream.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a global leader in the plasma protein biotherapeutics industry. Passionate about improving the quality of patients' lives, CSL Behring manufactures and markets a range of safe and effective plasma-derived and recombinant products and related services. The company's therapies are used in the treatment of immune deficiency disorders, hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, other bleeding disorders and inherited emphysema. Other products are used for the prevention of hemolytic disease of the newborn, in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation and in the treatment of burns. The company also operates one of the world's largest plasma collection networks, ZLB Plasma. CSL Behring is a subsidiary of CSL Limited, a biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, visit www.CSLBehring.com.

Media Contact: Sheila A. Burke, Director Public Relations & Communications Worldwide Commercial Operations, CSL Behring +1-610-878-4209

Web site: http://www.CSLBehring.com

Sheila A. Burke, Director Public Relations & Communications Worldwide Commercial Operations of CSL Behring, +1-610-878-4209