Sanofi and Novavax are working on a combined vaccine against influenza and Covid-19

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2024-05-10 13:04:00

A new alliance in the fight against Covid-19 and the flu. This Friday, the French pharmaceutical group Sanofi announced the signing of an agreement with the American Novavax. As part of this co-exclusive licensing agreement, the two companies have agreed to co-market from 2025 an adjuvanted protein-based, non-messenger RNA vaccine against Covid-19.

The two parties also agreed on the development of combined influenza-Covid-19 vaccines, “based on vaccines which have demonstrated their effectiveness and tolerability, for better potential protection of patients and greater comfort”, Sanofi said in a press release. A first, since until now combined vaccine projects have included products based on messenger RNA, such as that of Moderna, which is developing a super “flu-Covid-bronchiolitis” vaccine, or that of Pfizer-BioNTech.

READ ALSO Pfizer-BioNTech tests combined vaccine targeting Covid and flu “Levels of hospitalizations for flu and Covid-19 are now closely linked. We now have the opportunity to develop combined, non-mRNA vaccines against these two infections, for greater comfort for patients and enhanced protection against these two serious respiratory viruses. We are excited to combine Novavax’s adjuvanted Covid-19 vaccine […] to our rich portfolio of differentiated influenza vaccines, which have demonstrated their superior protective power against influenza and its serious complications,” announced Jean-François Toussaint, global head of research and experimental development of vaccines at Sanofi.

Sanofi in control of the marketing of the combined influenza-Covid-19 vaccine

The total amount of this agreement could reach up to $1.2 billion. The agreement, which announces the entry of Sanofi into the capital of Novavax – 4.9% against 70 million dollars –, also provides that the French company will be solely responsible for the development and marketing of any new combined vaccine. flu-Covid-19, developed with an anti-flu vaccine from Sanofi. In addition, from 2025, Sanofi will record sales of Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine and will cover certain R&D, regulatory and marketing expenses.

READ ALSO Will we one day be able to cure all cancers? In exchange, under the terms of the Sanofi-Novavax agreement, Novavax will receive an upfront payment of $500 million and up to $700 million depending on the achievement of various development, regulatory and commercialization milestones, for a total of $1.2 billion. Novavax will also receive “double-digit tiered royalties” on sales of Covid-19 vaccines and combined influenza-Covid-19 vaccines made by Sanofi.

“This collaboration is important for Novavax and for global public health. […] [Avec Sanofi, NDLR]”, we can expand access to our Covid-19 vaccine and adjuvant so that more people can benefit from the protection these vaccines provide,” John Jacobs, CEO of Novavax, added in the press release.
The agreement still allows, outside of this collaboration, the two companies to develop and market, at their own expense, their own vaccines against influenza and Covid-19. In fact, this agreement does not apply to part of Asia, where Novavax has its own partnership agreements.

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