Sanofi announced Tuesday the signing of an agreement in order to acquire the British biotech vicebio for an amount of more than a billion dollars, which will allow him to get their hands on candidates-vaccines against respiratory viruses.
This agreement provides for a total initial payment of $ 1.15 billion (approximately 918 million francs), with potential stage payments that are up to $ 450 million depending on development and regulatory achievements, ‘said the French pharmaceutical group in a press release.
This acquisition brings him ‘a combined candidate-vaccin in the early phase of development against the syncytial respiratory virus (VRS) and the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), two respiratory viruses.
It opens the way to the development ‘of new generation combined vaccines which could offer the elderly protection against several respiratory viruses in a single immunization’, underlines Jean-François Toussaint, global manager of research and development of vaccines at Sanofi.
New vaccine technology
Through this operation, which should be finalized in the fourth quarter, Sanofi will benefit from a technology that allows faster development of fully liquid combined vaccines which can be kept at standard refrigeration temperatures (2-8 ° C), thus eliminating the need for freezing or freeze-go, which simplifies manufacturing and distribution ‘.
In addition, these vaccines can be offered in pre -filled syringes, which simplifies their use, according to the press release.
The laboratory is already present in influenza vaccines and prevention of syncytial respiratory virus (VRS), with innovative treatment that immunizes babies against this main virus that causes bronchiolitis.
This monoclonal antibody, developed jointly by Sanofi and Astrazeneca, marketed under the name of Beyfortus and produced in the United States, is one of the main growth engines of the group.
/ATS
