GSK, Sanofi Strike Deal to Develop COVID-19 Vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Sanofi SA announced on Tuesday that they will create a vaccine to combat the widespread spread of coronavirus.

Drug manufacturers also confirmed they plan clinical trials for the vaccine to launch in the second half of this year. If effective, the vaccine would have been available in the second half of 2021.

The announcement comes at a period when drug companies are halting research studies in certain disease fields while they concentrate on evaluating new coronavirus treatment.

The adjuvanted vaccine would be produced by integrating Sanofi's S-protein COVID-19 antigen with GSK's pandemic adjuvant technology.

Adjuvants are efficacy boosters that play a vital role in many vaccines. An adjuvant is added to some vaccines to enhance the immune response and has been shown to create a stronger and longer-lasting immunity against infections than the vaccine alone.

The companies said they have also entered into a material transfer agreement, allowing them to start working together immediately.

Earlier on Tuesday, UK-based GSK competitor AstraZeneca Plc said it will launch a clinical trial of its cancer product, Calquence, to determine its ability to manage the abnormal reaction of the immune system correlated with COVID-19 infection in critically ill patients.

Source: Reuters