GSK and Fiocruz form partnership for increased vaccine access in Brazil
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has formed a partnership with Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) to develop and manufacture vaccines for "pressing public health priorities" in the country. The agreement will establish a new r&d programme at Fiocruz to develop a vaccine for dengue fever.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has formed a partnership with Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) to develop and manufacture vaccines for "pressing public health priorities" in the country. The agreement will establish a new r&d programme at Fiocruz to develop a vaccine for dengue fever.
GSK will also provide Fiocruz with access to the technology behind its 10-valent conjugate vaccine for paediatric pneumococcal disease, internationally known as Synflorix. GSK will supply Synflorix to Fiocruz until the technology transfer is completed. The Brazilian government will incorporate the vaccine into its national immunisation programme in the coming months.
"This collaboration with Fiocruz is a key piece of our strategy to partner with emerging middle-income countries. Together, we will be able to develop and make available new vaccines to benefit public health in Brazil," said Abbas Hussain, president of emerging markets at GSK.
The Brazilian regulatory authorities approved Synflorix, which protects against pneumonia, meningitis and bacteremia, on 22 June 2009. This vaccine has the potential to protect against more than 80% of cases of invasive pneumoccocal diseases in Brazilian children younger than five years old. It also protects against otitis media (middle-ear infection), one of the most frequently contracted childhood diseases.
GSK Biologicals and Fiocruz first collaborated on the supply of oral polio vaccines in 1985. Since then, they have formed several alliances to provide Brazilians with key vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and rotavirus. This is the partners" first collaboration on an r&d centre that will focus on the development of new vaccines.
"We have a longstanding relationship with Fiocruz for the production of vaccines, and today marks the first step of an even stronger partnership which includes a joint r&d initiative," said Jean Stephenne, president and ceo of GSK Biologicals.'
