Acambis

Acambis plots post-buyout expansion

John Carroll — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:06:26 -0400

Wayne Pisano, who runs Sanofi-Aventis's vaccine arm, says that the newly acquired Acambis will be kept at arm's length with a minimum of bureaucratic controls to slow it down. But Pisano also conceded that fostering a small-company development mentality in a big pharma subsidiary would prove to be a challenge. But Sanofi definitely plans to grow Acambis. Pisano says he will finance new acquisitions as well as new development work for a general flu vaccines, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and dengue fever. FierceVaccines

Acambis shares soar on $548M buyout deal

John Carroll — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:38:33 -0400

Shares of Acambis soared after Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi-Aventis, announced that it planned to buy the vaccine developer for $548 million. Aside from the smallpox vaccine ACAM2000, which recently won a 10-year, $425 million contract from the U.S. government, Sanofi-Aventis also gains a slate of experimental vaccines for dengue fever, West Nile disease and clostridium difficile, influenza and genital herpes.

Sanofi Pasteur and Acambis are partnered on a variety of development programs already. And the deal underscores just how attractive vaccine companies have become. Sanofi-Aventis "quite liked what we had in Acambis," said Acambis Chief Executive Ian Garland.

- check out Sanofi's release
- read the Wall Street Journal report
- here's the AP story

Sanofi to acquire Acambis for $546M

Maureen Martino — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:30:09 -0400

More evidence that the vaccine market is hot: vaccine maker Acambis has agreed to a £276 million ($546 million) by Sanofi-Pasteur, the vaccines division of France's Sanofi-Aventis. The deal represents a premium of 65.2 percent to Acambis' closing share price. Sanofi said that it has a "long and successful partnership with Acambis" and that the deal recognizes the company's "recent advances." Acambis recently won a $425 million, 10-year contract to supply the U.S. government with its smallpox vaccine. Additional programs include vaccines against Japanese Encephalitis and West Nile virus, C. difficile and a promising universal flu vaccine. Sanofi stressed that the Acambis deal would strengthen its pipeline.

The buyout, "...provides Sanofi Pasteur with the opportunity to develop a product line complementary to its existing portfolio and to benefit from the continued contribution from Acambis' key personnel," Sanofi said in a statement. "This mutually beneficial acquisition is a logical step building upon Sanofi Pasteur and Acambis' decade long partnership on key projects to develop and market vaccines of the future."

Just last month Sanofi announced plans to invest $6 billion into vaccine production to meet demand in developing nations. Picking up Acambis will certainly help them achieve that goal.

- check out the press release (.pdf)

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

Sanofi buys into Acambis' West Nile vaccine program

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Sanofi Pasteur is buying into Acambis' program for a novel West Nile vaccine. Acambis snares $10 million up front with $70 million in development and sales milestones. There's more money that can be tapped for development costs as well as from royalties. ChimeriVax-West Nile is in a Phase II trial right now and showed signs of efficacy in an earlier dose-ranging Phase II trial. Any successful vaccine would be employed against an endemic disease that has killed 92 people so far this year in the U.S. and is a particular threat for people over the age of 50.

"Having entered into this unique collaboration with one of the world's leading vaccine companies, we intend to be the first to bring a West Nile virus vaccine to market," said Acambis CEO Ian Garland. "Acambis will conduct the vaccine development, further validating our competence and capabilities in clinical development and vaccine manufacture. This contract is an important step in executing on our financing strategy for the company."

- check out the release on the deal
- read the report from Silicon Fen Business Report for more

Related Articles:
Acambis' universal vaccine begins human clinical trials. Report
Acambis shares plunge after U.S. nixes contract. Report
Acambis completes vaccine BLA. Report
Acambis researching single-shot solution to flu. Report

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

Acambis' universal vaccine begins human clinical trials

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 06:59:54 -0400

Acambis is putting its universal vaccine approach to influenza to the test as it launches a Phase I trial for ACAM-FLU-A, a universal therapy for all type "A" strains of the influenza virus. Researchers are looking for both efficacy as well as safety data by around the end of the year. The vaccine has potential as a therapy for use against a pandemic flu as well as seasonal flu. Pandemics are typically triggered by an "A" strain flu while seasonal flus are both "A" and "B" strains.

- read the report on Acambis from Hemscott

Related Articles:
FDA panel endorses Acambis' smallpox vaccine. Report
Acambis restructures as sales rumors circulate. Report
Acambis announces new CEO. Report
Acambis researching single-shot flu solution. Report

C&L: Altus tapped as new ImpactRx CEO

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:01:32 -0500

ImpactRx has named Richard C. Altus as president and CEO.

Hemispherx Biopharma has hired Anthony A. Bonelli as president and COO.

Bioenvision has named James S. Scibetta to the post of CFO.

Adnexus Therapeutics has expanded its management team with the appointment of Bruce A. Silver, MD, FACP to the newly-created role of medical director.

BioAdvance, the "biotechnology greenhouse of Southeastern Pennsylvania," has named Russel Kaufman, M.D. as the organization's new board of directors chairman.

The Board of Directors of Marshall Edwards has appointed Professor Bryan Williams as the non-executive chairman.

CytoCore has added Clint H. Severson to its board of directors.

Acambis has named Dr. William Jenkins and John Lambert as non-executive directors.

ALSO NOTED: Aegera raises $21 million; M&A activity soars; and much more...

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 19:01:30 -0500

> Canada's Aegera Therapeutics has raised $21 million in the first close of its third round of financing. The round includes $14 million in venture equity and $7 million in venture debt. Report

> Metrics: There have been $16.6 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions in biotech since July, compared to $2.6 billion in the first half of the year. Report

> The UK's Acambis might be one of the next takeover targets, analysts say, after the biotech company missed out on a big U.S. vaccine contract. Report

> UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is raising new warnings about the spread of biological weapons. Report

> Mountain View, CA-based VIVUS is raising $33.6 million through the sale of common stock. Release

> Dyadic has raised $12.3 million through a private placement. Report

> Chutes & Ladders: Lawrence C. Fritz has been named president and CEO of Anadys Pharmaceuticals. Fritz had been CEO of Conforma Therapeutics. Report

And Finally... Australia's chief medical officer says containment efforts may have successfully averted the threat of a bird flu pandemic. Article

Acambis shares plunge after U.S. nixes contract

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:01:38 -0500

Shares of Acambis took a beating after the company announced it was no longer in the competition for a U.S. contract to provide smallpox vaccine. Its stock plunged 39 percent after company officials said it was no longer being considered. Acambis said that it would arrange a meeting with government officials to "seek clarification." "We are surprised that the U.S. government would eliminate Acambis," CEO Gordon Cameron said. "We believe that our proposal would have met the requirements."

- here's the International Herald Tribune report on Acambis

Related Articles:
Acambis completes vaccine BLA. Report
Acambis researching single-shot solution to flu. Report

ALSO NOTED: Europe expands Synvisc approval; FDA issues "approvable" letter for paliperidone; and much more...

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> European regulators have agreed to expand the approval of Genzyme's Synvisc to include osteoarthritis of the ankle and shoulder. Report

> J&J says its subsidiary has received an approvable letter from the FDA for paliperidone as a therapy for schizophrenia. But the drug maker did not say what issues were still left to be resolved. Report

> Antisoma says its aptamer therapy AS1411 produced positive Phase I data in a cancer trial. Report

> Acambis has sold Berna Products--which distributes an oral typhoid vaccine in North America--to Crucell for $16.5 million. Report

> Accentia Biopharmaceuticals has gained $25 million in debenture financing. Report

> A combinational therapy of Herceptin and hormonal treatments extended progression-free survival of a certain group of women with advanced breast cancer. Report

> Roche announced that Phase II data supported the combination of Xeloda with Herceptin and Taxotere for breast cancer. Report

> Novartis says that new four-year data for Femara indicates a reduced rate of risk for a recurrence of breast cancer compared with the standard therapy Tamoxifen. Report

> The FDA has expanded the approved use of Rituxan. Report

And Finally… Two American scientists, Andrew Z. Fire and Craig C. Mello, won the Nobel prize for medicine for their work in RNA interference. Article

ALSO NOTED: WiCell may offer stem cell lines; Medivir inks new pact; and much more...

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:01:30 -0400

> The WiCell Research Institute in Madison, WI says it will make new embryonic stem cell lines created by Advanced Cell Technologies available to researchers if the feds agree to expand funding for them. ACT had announced, amid considerable controversy, that it had developed a technique to create new lines without destroying the embryo. Given the Bush administration's quick skepticism about ACT's research, though, don't expect any loosening of federal standards soon. Report

> Sweden's Medivir has won a $7.5 million up front payment for a collaboration deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb. The two companies will co-develop and commercialize MIV-170, an experimental therapy for HIV-1. Medivir also stands to gain milestones totaling $97 million. Release

> The SEC has concluded that Biopure won't have to pay penalties to settle claims that the company was busily raising money in 2003 while failing to tell investors that the FDA had temporarily prohibited it from conducting trials on its blood substitute Hemopure. In a separate settlement, Biopure General Counsel Jane Kober agreed to pay a fine of $40,000. Report

> Obagi Medical, which makes skin therapies, has detailed plans to raise $86.3 million in an IPO. Report

> The FDA is seeking more information on the acne drug Nicomide, which has not been approved by the agency but has long been marketed as an unapproved product. Report

> The UK's Acambis has won a $30 million contract to supply smallpox vaccine to the U.S. Report

> From now on, staffers at Stanford University Medical Center will be prevented from accepting even a pen from pharmaceutical reps. Report

And Finally… Rapid economic progress in India has spurred skyrocketing rates of type 2 diabetes. Article

ALSO NOTED: Allos gains orphan status for cancer therapy; NICE recommends against Velcade; and much more...

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 20:00:50 -0400

> Allos Therapeutics has gained orphan drug status for an experimental cancer therapy. Report

> The U.K.'s drug watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, has recommended against covering Velcade, saying its effectiveness against myeloma is unclear. Report

> NICE, however, decided to back Enbrel and Raptiva for severe psoriasis. Report

> The National Cancer Institute has begun a late-stage trial of Cytogen's Quadramet in combination with Zometa as a therapy for lung, breast and prostate cancer that has spread to the bone. Release

> Acambis said that its revenues this year would likely suffer from changes in a U.S. government contract for smallpox vaccine. Article

> Avalon Pharmaceuticals and ChemDiv have inked a collaboration for the discovery and development of small molecule oncology therapeutics. Release

> Iconix Pharmaceuticals announced a services agreement with Merck KGaA in which Iconix scientists will compare several of Merck's compounds with compounds from similar classes of molecules and with marketed products to gain insight into the safety of new drug candidates. Release

> Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma and Bristol-Myers K.K. have concluded an agreement on the marketing rights of anti-hypertension and hepatocellular cancer drug. Release

And Finally… South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk, the man at the center of an international scandal over faked stem cell research, explained that some of the research money that investigators went looking for was spent on a failed effort to clone an extinct mammoth. He is on trial for embezzling funds. Article

C&L: Brian M. Gallagher joins Magen Biosciences as CEO

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:01:32 -0400

Brian M. Gallagher has joined Magen Biosciences as president and CEO.

John F. DeBernardis will resign as CEO of Applied NeuroSolutions.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of Parmjot Bains, MD to the position of COO.

Proteome Sciences has named Peter Schulz-Knappe, MD as Research and Development Director/Chief Science Officer.

Michael Tansey, MD has joined La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company as Chief Medical Officer.

Biogen Idec has named Cecil B. Pickett President of R&D.

Charles Gluchowski, Ph.D., has been appointed as the Medicure's VP of R&D.

Octagon Research Solutions has appointed Doug Fulling as VP of Business Development.

AAIPharma announced today the appointment of Ninad Deshpanday, Ph.D. to the newly-created position of VP of Pharmaceutical Business Development.

Aileen Ryan has joined Vion Pharmaceuticals' management team as VP of Regulatory Affairs.

Jaime Davidson, MD, FACP, FACE, has been appointed Medical Director of Generex Biotechnology.

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals has added Louis Weiner, MD, to its Scientific Advisory Board.

Schering-Plough Corporation has named John M. Carroll VP, Global Internal Audits.

Acambis announces that, effective October 1, Alan Smith will retire as Chairman and will be succeeded by Peter Fellner, MD.

Former FEMA director Joe M. Allbaugh has joined Emergent BioSolutions board of directors.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has added Vicki L. Sato, Ph.D., to its board of directors.

Axm Pharma has named Steven M. Dinh to its board of directors.

Nascent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that Joanna C. Horobin, MD, has been appointed to its board of directors.

SpectraScience has elected Stanley Pappelbaum, MD to its board of directors.

Earl Collier has been named to the deCODE Genetics' board of directors.

SPOTLIGHT: Acambis completes vaccine BLA

Tue, 18 Apr 2006 20:01:33 -0400

Acambis has completed its BLA to the FDA for its experimental smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000. The drug was given fast-track status in late 2004. Report

ALSO NOTED: Roche unveils Fuzeon data; Palatin pulls agent; Acambis launches Phase II; and much more...

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:00:50 -0500

> Roche has unveiled new data that demonstrates a significantly improved response for its HIV treatment Fuzeon. Report

> Palatin Technologies has pulled an infection diagnosing agent from the market following the deaths of two people. Release

> Acambis has become the first drug developer to begin a Phase II trial of a vaccine designed to prevent West Nile disease. Release

> New research indicates that people taking heartburn medications like Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium are more likely to get diarrhea caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile. Report

> Dyax and Debiopharm have restructured their development agreement on DX-890 (Depelestat), a recombinant inhibitor of humanneutrophil elastase for pulmonary disorders. Release

> CuraGen has changed the terms of its collaboration with Bayer for a new diabetes therapy. Report

> Mylan Pharmaceuticals has entered into two agreements with Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical and Alza Corporation relating to oxybutynin chloride extended release tablets. Release

And Finally… Despite being dealt a major setback in its effort to break Pfizer's patent on Lipitor, Ranbaxy says it has no plans to back away from its aggressive strategy of challenging patents. Article

ALSO NOTED: EMA grants Nuvelo orphan drug designation; AlgoRx, Corgentech's pain drug show promise; and much more...

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 19:00:50 -0500

> Nuvelo has received an orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency for alfimeprase, a product Nuvelo hopes will treat peripheral arterial occlusion (PAO). The drug has already received orphan indication status from the FDA. Release

> AlgoRx and Corgentech have promising data from their phase III local anesthetic ALGRX 3268, a powder injection for pain. Release

> A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the withdrawn MS drug Tysabri could be effective in treating Crohn's disease. Article

> The FDA has approved an IND for Santaris' RNA-silencing cancer drug. Release

> Acambis and Bharat Biotech have signed a deal to develop Acambis' ChimeriVax-JE, an experimental vaccine for Japanese encephalitis. Release

And Finally... A recent study show that Viagra may have another therapeutic use as a treatment for Raynaud's disease in both men and women. Article

Acambis researching single-shot solution to flu

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 20:01:39 -0400

Shares of the UK's Acambis surged this morning as the drug developer announced it would soon begin human trials on a new flu vaccine that could potentially offer permanent protection against all types of flu. Investors were cheered by the prospect that a successful set of trials could offer global protection against the flu, which each year requires huge sums and massive shipments of drugs that may have no effect on whatever strain of the flu is making the rounds. In addition, Acambis said that the experimental vaccine would potentially protect against a global flu pandemic. A universal flu vaccine from Acambis would also have a negative effect on companies like Chiron, which have invested large sums in the flu vaccine business.

- read this story from The Daily Mail for more

ALSO NOTED: Altea garners $30M in venture money; Par loses patent fight; Ranbaxy JV unveils diabetes drug; and much more

Wed, 27 Jul 2005 20:00:50 -0400

> Altea Therapeutics raised more than $30 million in venture capital for development of pain management and diabetes patches. The Series C financing was led by Aperture Venture Partners, but includes Altea's Series B investors Domain, Venrock, and vSpring Capital. Release

> Par Pharmaceutical loses Zofran patent fight with GlaxoSmithKline. Release

> Ranbaxy's JV with Japan's Nippon Chemiphar unveils maiden diabetes drug. Story

> Human tissue supplier CryoLife agrees to pay $23 million to settle lawsuit over contamination. Report

> Biolex Therapeutics acquires LemnaGene, a French biotech startup researching protein development. Release

> Boehringer Ingelheim wins regulatory nod for tipranavir, a non-peptidic protease inhibitor. Release

> Cortex launches Phase IIa studies of Ampakine CX717 for ADHD and Alzheimer's Disease. Release

> Savient to set Phase III parameters with FDA on gout drug. Story

> British vaccine firm Acambis is starting trials of a vaccine to prevent infections from a new strain of clostridium difficile that has spawned outbreaks in at least 15 U.K. hospitals. Report

and finally...Sorry, herbal enthusiasts, researchers says Echinacea is a dud against colds. Article

ALSO NOTED: Lilly wins patent fight; Canada OKs Tarceva; Vioxx trial begins; and much more...

Wed, 13 Jul 2005 20:00:50 -0400

> A US appeals court has upheld Eli Lilly's patent on Sarafem for premenstrual stress. Teva had challenged the patent saying it is an exact copy of Prozac, which is no longer under patent protection. Report

> Cryocor has priced its IPO at $11 per share. Report

> Canadian regulators have approved OSI's Tarceva for lung cancer. Report

> The first trial of Vioxx is set to begin after a jury was selected in the small Texas town of Angleton. Story

> Merck has acquired most of the global rights for the cancer treatment UFT for the treatment of colorectal cancer from Taiho Pharmaceutical. Release

> Acambis has launched a Phase II trial of a weakened smallpox vaccine for patients unable to take a full dose. Report

> The FDA has approved Ranbaxy's anti-retroviral drug Zidovudine for use outside the US. Story

And Finally... Scientists report that they have discovered a simple therapy to reduce the high risk of death from SARS. Article