Vicebio Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel vaccines against life-threatening respiratory viral infections, has entered an exclusive, definitive agreement to be acquired by Sanofi.
Under the terms of the agreement, subject to customary conditions, Vicebio shareholders will receive up to a total of $1.6bn, including an upfront payment of $1.15bn as well as development and regulatory milestones payments of $450m.
Vicebio was created by Medicxi to develop next-generation vaccines for respiratory viruses utilising its proprietary Molecular Clamp technology, discovered at The University of Queensland. This technology uniquely stabilises viral glycoproteins to elicit strong protective immune responses and enables high-yield production for ready-to-use liquid multivalent formulations.
The Molecular Clamp technology is applicable to a wide range of viruses including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), parainfluenza viruses, influenza and coronaviruses. In September 2024, Vicebio announced a Series B financing, led by TCGX with investment from Life Sciences at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Avoro Ventures, venBio Partners, and with participation from UniQuest and founding investor Medicxi, which enabled Vicebio to accelerate clinical development of VXB-241 and next generation products.
Vicebio is currently running an exploratory phase 1 clinical trial with lead asset VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine targeting both RSV and hMPV viruses, pathogens that are a significant burden in the elderly and those with a weakened immune system. Interim analysis of the exploratory Phase 1 study showed a favourable safety and tolerability profile in adults aged 60 and above.
Giovanni Mariggi, chairman of Vicebio and partner at Medicxi, said: “Our aim in creating Vicebio was to back a clear product vision to develop a best-in-class vaccine against respiratory viruses. We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in the last few years thanks to a team effort by the Company, University of Queensland, our investors and the Board. We are excited to partner with Sanofi which will further accelerate VXB-241’s development to ensure it ultimately benefits those in need.”
Emmanuel Hanon, CEO of Vicebio, said: “Vicebio and its incredibly passionate team have been driven by the ambition to develop next-generation vaccines aimed at targeting multiple life-threatening respiratory viruses simultaneously. This acquisition validates our ability to combine innovation and deep scientific expertise towards a common goal of advancing public health prevention, and we’re excited to enter the next chapter to accelerate the global impact of our work.”
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