AstraZeneca to Acquire Icosavax in Deal Valued at Approximately $1.1 Billion
With the acquisition, AstraZeneca will gain a potential RSV and hMPV combination vaccine.
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On Dec. 12, 2023, AstraZeneca announced a definitive agreement to acquire Icosavax, a US-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing vaccines using a protein virus-like particle (VLP) platform. The deal represents a value of roughly $800 million upfront, with the potential of $1.1 billion in total. With the acquisition, AstraZeneca will build on its vaccines and immune therapies pipeline with the addition of a potential respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) combination vaccine.
Icosavax’s lead investigational vaccine candidate, IVX-A12, is a combination protein VLP vaccine that targets both RSV and hMPV. The candidate will be entering Phase III clinical studies. IVX-A12 represents the first combination vaccine for RSV and hMPV, according to a company press release. There are currently no treatments or preventative therapies for hMPV, according to the release.
“This virus-like particle vaccine technology has the potential to transform prevention against severe infectious diseases, including RSV and hMPV. With the addition of Icosavax’s Phase III-ready lead asset to our late-stage pipeline, we will have a differentiated, advanced investigational vaccine, and a platform for further development of combination vaccines against respiratory viruses. This aligns with our strategy to deliver a portfolio of therapies to address high unmet needs in infectious diseases, and our ambition to protect the most vulnerable patients who have high risk of severe outcomes,” said Iskra Reic, executive vice-president, Vaccines & Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca, in the press release.
Source: AstraZeneca
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