Baxter and Takeda Complete Agreement for Vero Cell-Based Influenza Vaccines in Japan

Baxter International Inc. (Deerfield, IL) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Osaka, Japan) have completed a development, license, and technology transfer agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Takeda and Baxter will expand on their previously announced collaboration to bring Vero cell culture-based influenza vaccines to the Japanese market. Baxter will license its proprietary Vero cell-based influenza vaccine technology exclusively to Takeda for the Japanese market.

The companies will jointly pursue the development and licensure of an H5N1 influenza vaccine in Japan. With assistance from Baxter, Takeda will pursue funding from the Japanese government for the construction of a Vero cell-based influenza manufacturing facility in Japan to fully implement the agreement. Baxter and Takeda will undertake a technology transfer to enable Takeda to manufacture the H5N1 influenza vaccine at full scale by the end of Takeda’s 2013 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2014).