Merck Takes 3 Major Shots at COVID-19: Themis, IAVI and Ridgeback Bio | Virus World | Scoop.it
From www.biospace.com - May 26, 2020 5:24 PM

Merck has largely stayed out of the COVID-19 battle, but exploded into it with three major deals and collaborations today. First, Merck is buying Austria-based Themis, a vaccines and immune-modulation therapies company focused on infectious diseases and cancer. Merck hasn’t disclosed financial details, except that it is a cash deal to buy all outstanding Themis shares.

 

Themis has a pipeline of vaccine candidates and immune-modulatory therapies that it has built using its measles virus vector platform. The vector was originally developed by researchers at the Institut Pasteur and licensed exclusively to Themis for specific viral indications. In March, the company joined a consortium with the Institut Pasteur and The Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh, which is supported by monies from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), to develop a vaccine candidate against COVID-19. “Building on the pioneering work of the Institute Pasteur, the Themis team has established specialized expertise that complements Merck’s own capabilities in the discovery, development, manufacturing and global distribution of vaccines,” said Roger M. Perlmutter, president, Merck Research Laboratories. “We are eager to combine our strengths both to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine in the near term and to build a pandemic preparedness capability directed toward emerging agents that pose a future epidemic threat.”

 

Secondly, Merck is collaborating with IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization focused on global health challenges. They are partnering to develop a vaccine against COVID-19. The vaccine candidate uses the recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) technology that was used for Merck’s Ebola Zaire virus vaccine, ERVEBO. Merck has also entered an agreement with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS)....