Genticel licenses Vaxiclase platform to Serum Institute of India for use in whooping cough vaccines

Published: 3-Feb-2015

Agreement entitles Genticel to up to US$57m in upfront and milestones payments


Genticel, a French biotechnology company and developer of therapeutic vaccines, with operations in Paris and Toulouse, has licensed its Vaxiclase technology to Serum Institute of India (SIIL), for use as a component in acellular multivalent combination vaccines including against pertussis.

Genticel will potentially receive up to US$57m in upfront, development and sales milestone payments from Serum, in addition to single-digit royalties on net sales.

Detailed financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The licence granted to SIIL, headquartered in Pune, provides the Vaxiclase platform for inclusion in multivalent vaccines that also protect against Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough. It covers all the countries of the world except major pharmaceutical markets, in particular the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel, Turkey and greater Europe.

There is the possibility that the partnership could be extended globally.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Executive Director of Serum Institute of India, said: 'We have been closely monitoring the challenges related to resurgence of pertussis especially in the countries utilising acellular pertussis components-based combination vaccine. Based on our analysis, we are sure the collaboration with Genticel and use of Vaxiclase will play a key role in improving the acellular pertussis component based combination vaccine.'

Genticel’s Chief Executive, Benedikt Timmerman, added: 'This deal opens an entirely new field of applications for Vaxiclase, which complements our core activities in the HPV field.'

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