Pfizer is developing a vaccine candidate to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection.However, the virus can still cause deadly infections, so the pharma giant is refining its strategy to tackle the pathogen Acquired ReViralThe biotech company has two antiviral drugs in clinical development for RSV.
The acquisition agreement was announced on Thursday. The upfront payment was not disclosed, but Pfizer said it could pay up to $525 million, which includes upfront payments and development milestones. That’s a relatively small amount for a drug Pfizer expects to have sales of more than $1.5 billion if it hits the market.
respiratory syncytial virus is a virus that affects the lungs. Symptoms in healthy people are usually mild, similar to the common cold. But for those without a strong immune system, such as infants and the elderly, RSV infection can become fatal. RSV affects approximately 64 million people annually, resulting in approximately 160,000 deaths. There is no FDA-approved RSV vaccine. Treatment of RSV infection is supportive care to resolve symptoms.
Privately held ReViral, headquartered in the U.K. with operations in Durham, North Carolina, has two RSV treatment candidates, each using a different approach to blocking the pathogen. Sisunatovir is an oral antiviral drug designed to block fusion of the RSV virus with host cells. The drug has entered mid-stage clinical trials. In results to date, ReViral reported that the drug significantly reduced viral load in a Phase 2 human challenge study in healthy adults. The drug is also in Phase 2 testing in infants.
The second program, the ReViral program, focuses on preventing RSV replication by targeting the virus’s N protein. The program’s lead drug candidate has entered Phase 1 testing. A third program combining fusion inhibition and N protein blockade is in preclinical development.
“The proposed acquisition of ReViral’s therapeutic candidate complements our efforts to advance our first vaccine candidate to help prevent this harmful disease,” said Annaliesa Anderson, senior vice president and chief scientific officer, Bacterial Vaccines and Hospitals, Pfizer. in the statement. “Combining the capabilities and expertise of our organization will allow us to further advance the clinical development of potential therapies for patients with RSV disease.”
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine candidate PF-06928316 Reach Phase 3 testing in the elderly.The vaccine is based on Crystal structure of premelted F, a protein that the RSV virus uses to attack human cells. Pfizer has competition in the RSV vaccine chase. GlaxoSmithKline advances its vaccine candidate into late-stage testing. In February, GlaxoSmithKline stop research in the following pregnant women Security advice Independent data monitoring committee from monitoring studies. A separate Phase 3 study in older adults is underway, and GSK expects to report data in the first half of this year.
Updated vaccine technology is the basis for additional RSV vaccine work. Icosavax is developing an RSV vaccine based on virus-like particle technologyThe Seattle-based biotech expects to report interim Phase 1/1b data for its RSV vaccine candidate IVX-121 this quarter. Now that Moderna has validated its messenger RNA technology with the FDA-approved Spikevax vaccine for Covid-19, the company is gearing up to test mRNA vaccines for other pathogens. Last fall, the messenger RNA company Moderna Start Phase 2/3 Testing Use of its RSV vaccine candidate mRNA-1345 in the elderly.
Moderna’s RSV vaccine research was initially conducted in partnership with Merck & Co. Pharma giants in 2020 return These programs are right, but choose to focus on antiviral RSV drugs. According to Merck’s annual report, the antibody clesrovimab (formerly MK-1654) has reached a key test for preventing lower respiratory tract infections in infants and certain children 2 years of age and older.
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