GlaxoSmithKline and the U.K.'s Arecor have inked a license agreement to develop advanced formulations of vaccines. GSK will contribute the vaccines while formulation specialist Arecor chips in stabilization technology in a deal to aid vaccine administration. They intend to improve the stability of GSK vaccines currently in development.
Arecor's specialty is formulation techniques that improve the stability of biomolecules in proteins, vaccines and diagnostics. Its technology platform, Arestat, targets the main pathways of degradation. The company says Arestat integrates with standard manufacturing practice "without covalent modification of the biologic and using excipients approved for the route of delivery."
Arecor will receive payments from GSK at development milestones as well as royalties on sales.
Separately, GSK will buy the remaining stake in a flu vaccine joint venture in China. Partner Shenzhen Neptunus Interlong Bio-Technique will relinquish its 51% equity interest in the Shenzhen GSK-Neptunus Biologicals to the drug giant.
The venture has been running for two years, developing and manufacturing seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines for China, Hong Kong and Macau. GSK makes its move at the same time a mutated form of H1N1 possibly resistant to leading flu treatments is being reported, says MedCity News.
- see the Arecor announcement
- here's more
- get the MedCity News story