Sanofi Pasteur

Acambis plots growth after $549M buyout

John Carroll — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:50:47 -0400

Sanofi-Aventis' announcement earlier this week that it is buying the UK's Acambis for $549 million is fresh evidence of a buoyant vaccine market. The French drug company is paying a 65 percent premium for Acambis' shares to close the deal.

Among other operations, Acambis has major development work underway in Massachusetts. And the company says the buyout will lead to an expansion of its efforts. Sanofi-Aventis will have 250 employees in Massachusetts after the deal closes. The two companies have already engaged in partnerships to develop new vaccines for West Nile disease and dengue fever. Acambis also has struck a 10-year supply deal with the U.S. government for its anthrax vaccine.

"This is not one of those slash-and-burn acquisitions," Acambis chief executive Ian Garland told the Boston Globe. "They expect to continue to invest."

- here's the releaseon the buyout
- read the report from the Boston Globe

Combo vaccines endorsed by federal advisory panel

John Carroll — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:19:23 -0400

In a move that should make it easier for millions of children in the U.S. to get their recommended vaccinations, a federal vaccine advisory panel has endorsed two new combination vaccinations. GlaxoSmithKline won a thumb's up from the advisory panel for a four-in-one shot that guards against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio at a cost of $45. Sanofi Pasteur won an endorsement of its five-in-one shot for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b, or HiB. That jab costs $69. The vaccine advisory panel's decision helps clear the way for 36 million children to receive the vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program. Both vaccines have been approved by the FDA.

The new combination vaccines don't change the number of vaccinations that children are expected to receive. But it should make it easier for parents to keep track of which vaccinations have been completed.

- read the report in the Baltimore Sun

Sanofi licenses technology for new TB vaccine

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:59:56 -0500

Sanofi Pasteur has struck a licensing deal with the Statens Serum Institut of Denmark covering the use of its technology for a new tuberculosis vaccine. The pact includes SSI's Intercell IC31 adjuvant and the use of certain fusion proteins. SSI TB vaccine candidates are recombinant protein sub-units, including one currently in a Phase I clinical trial. Results from a previous study showed the SSI TB vaccine technology provided a positive immune response. TB kills two million people a year.

"This agreement is a milestone for Sanofi Pasteur," said Wayne Pisano, president and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur, which is also working to develop a vaccine against another one of the biggest global infectious disease killers--malaria. "The current medical arsenal is inadequate for fighting tuberculosis."

- read the press release

Related Articles:
New compounds in works for tuberculosis. Report
Maxygen, Sanofi Pasteur ink $24.5M vaccine deal. Report
New approach to vaccine development. Report