Protalix BioTherapeutics' taliglucerase alfa for Gaucher disease granted French ATU

Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NYSE-Amex: PLX) announced today that the French regulatory authority has granted an Autorisation Temporaire d'Utilisation (ATU), or Temporary Authorization for Use, for taliglucerase alfa for the treatment of Gaucher disease.  An ATU is the regulatory mechanism used by the French Health Products and Safety Agency to make non-approved drugs available to patients in France when a genuine public health need exists.  This ATU allows patients with Gaucher disease in France to receive treatment with taliglucerase alfa before marketing authorization for the product is granted in the European Union.  Payment for taliglucerase alfa has been secured through government allocations to hospitals.

"We are pleased to be able to provide taliglucerase alfa to Gaucher patients in France under the ATU program," said Dr. David Aviezer, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.