GSK, Biological E to develop polio vaccine for India

Hannah Blake

pharmaphorum

GSK has announced a 50/50 joint venture with leading Indian vaccines company, Biological E, for the early stage research and development of a six-in-one combination paediatric vaccine to help protect children in India and other developing countries from polio and other infectious diseases.

The vaccine is to combine GSK’s injectable polio vaccine (IPV) and Biological E’s pentavalent vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (whole cell pertussis), hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. It is expected to enable fewer injections for children, thereby improving compliance in immunisation schedules.

If approved, the vaccine could be the first of its kind.

“We are delighted to be working with Biological E., an established company in the global vaccine market. This agreement is fully aligned to GSK’s vision of providing high quality vaccines to those in need and by leveraging Biological E’s strengths, this particular vaccine has the potential to be play a significant role in the fight against polio.”

Christophe Weber, President of GSK Vaccines.

The joint venture will bear the development costs for the candidate vaccine, which is expected to enter phase 1 development in the next two years. A small initial cash investment will be made by both companies to cover start-up costs for the joint venture and subsequent development costs will be split equally.

Both companies are committed to supporting the WHO’s global polio eradication programme. Completion of the transaction is expected in 2013, subject to several conditions including regulatory approval of the joint venture.

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