Smallpox

Bavarian touts smallpox vax safety data

Maureen Martino — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:10:42 -0500

Denmark's Bavarian Nordic is reporting a favorable safety profile for its smallpox vaccine Imvamune. As part of a Phase II trial, Imvamune was administered to 300 HIV positive subjects as well as 86 healthy subjects to test the vaccine's safety in those with a weak immune system. "[T]here was no difference in adverse events between the healthy and HIV infected subjects, even in the most immune compromised patients," the company said in a statement. Imvamune has been tested in more than 2,200 people in 11 completed or on-going clinical studies.

Within the next few days the safety report of this study will be submitted to the FDA and this will trigger a $25 million milestone payment under the RFP-3 contract. In June 2007 Bavarian Nordic won a $1.6 billion HHS contract to manufacture and deliver a next-generation smallpox vaccine designed to be safer than currently stockpiled smallpox vaccines. Full results from the Phase II are expected in the second half of 2009.

- see Bavarian Nordic's release

Acambis lands $425M smallpox vaccine contract

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:59:56 -0400

The U.K.'s Acambis has won a $425 million contract to supply the CDC with its smallpox vaccine for 10 years. Acambis will establish a U.S.-based manufacturing capability for ACAM2000 and deliver a minimum of nine million doses per year of the drug. "The net proceeds will enable us to invest in manufacturing facilities for the U.S. contract, progress our vaccine for hospital-acquired C.difficile infections and further our program of new vaccines against influenza, genital herpes and other significant unmet medical needs," Acambis head Ian Garland told ShareCast.

- see the Acambis release
- read this report from ShareCast

ALSO NOTED: Teva invests in stem cell start-up; Anacor files for IPO; Merrion sets terms; and much more...

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Teva is investing $1 million in the stem cell start-up Cell Cure Neurosciences. Report

> Anacor Pharmaceuticals has filed documents for an IPO designed to raise $57.5 million. Report

> Ireland's Merrion Pharmaceuticals says it plans to offer four million shares in its IPO at $10 to $12 per share. Report

> Celera is buying Berkeley HeartLab for $195 million in cash. "Celera's genetic markers that are intended to identify people at risk for early heart attacks, stroke and blood clots and optimize therapy with cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, anti-coagulants and other cardiovascular drugs should augment Berkeley HeartLab's current disease management offerings to patients," said Kathy Ordonez, president of Celera. Report

> The FDA has approved a new vaccine--ACAM2000--for use against smallpox. Release

> Jerini announced the termination of the license agreement between its affiliate, Jerini US, and Kos Life Sciences, Inc. for the development, marketing, and distribution of Icatibant in the United States and Canada. Release

> More proof that India is the new headwaters of generic drug-making: Watson Pharmaceuticals got the FDA to sign off on its production facility in Goa, India. Report

And Finally… Craig Ventner's new work sequencing his own diploid genome has created a new "gold standard" in the field of genetics. FierceBioResearcher