GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) emerges in the vaccine race

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GlaxoSmithKline believes that it can stand out in the race to obtain a Covid-19 vaccine and play an important role in preparing for a new pandemic after releasing positive trial data.

The vaccine manufacturer is discussing plans to establish vaccine production facilities on its own lawns with governments including the United Kingdom, and is investing heavily in mRNA technology, which is the technology used by BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna to successfully shoot vaccines.

GSK has not contributed yet After a trial last year, any of the first-generation Covid-19 vaccines were tested Sanofi It must be redone due to the wrong dosage. The company chose to provide adjuvants to multiple partners to improve the effectiveness of many vaccines, rather than developing vaccines on its own.

GSK and Sanofi published data from the second phase 2 trial on Monday, showing that participants of all ages have a strong immune response, and those who have recovered from Covid-19 can achieve good results with just one dose. The level of antibodies. The two companies stated that their goal is to obtain regulatory approval by the end of this year and to begin phase 3 trials in the “coming weeks.”

This result comes from the preclinical positive data of the GSK second-generation vaccine German biotech company CureVac It was released last week, and its Canadian partner Medicago is about to enter the third phase of the trial.

Roger Connor, President of GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, told reporters Financial Times After a “disappointing” setback, the company “licked the wound.”

Now, he said that as Covid-19 becomes an endemic disease, it can play an important role in the next phase of the pandemic. He said that the vaccine with Sanofi looks particularly promising as a booster vaccine, while CureVac’s mRNA vaccine can target multiple variants at once.

He added: “People will see that we have not yet become the front runners, but we are still in this race.”

The results of this study have also played a role in promoting Sanofi. Sanofi is the second largest vaccine manufacturer after the pandemic in terms of sales, second only to GSK, but is developing a Covid-19 vaccine. Lags behind last year in the competition. It also has another stamp based on mRNA technology under development.

Sanofi’s failure to bring the Covid-19 vaccine to the market has been a controversial topic in France because critics see it as a symbol of the country’s decline in science.The French vaccination campaign started slowly, but since then, the vaccination volume of the vaccine has taken the lead in the EU and in the middle in population management, but lags behind Germany, Italy and Spain. Data world.

GSK is Under pressure Investors said it will strengthen its channel building before it spins off its consumer division next year. Elliott Management It has acquired billions of pounds in shares and is driving change. The company plans to reveal what the rest of the combined drug and vaccine business will look like on an investor day in June.

Connor said that GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine business is the “jewel in the crown” that is underestimated. In the past four years, revenue has increased by 50% and profits have doubled.

The growth of products has promoted the development of products, such as Shingrix injection for the elderly. He pointed out that the potential first vaccine against RSV (common respiratory disease) may be succeeding.

Connor believes that as some analysts move the split vaccines out of the pharmaceutical business, Connor believes that he is working closely with Hal Barron, the head of GlaxoSmithKline’s R&D department, and because of the immune system With the rise of science, these businesses have synergies.

The pandemic has enabled small new companies, including Moderna, BioNTech and Novavax, to rapidly rise to the ranks of top vaccine manufacturers. Although supply is limited this year, approved vaccine companies are significantly expanding their production in 2022 and beyond, which some analysts believe will create a crowded market.

But Connor said that GlaxoSmithKline still has “the strongest technology product portfolio in the industry,” which attracts the interest of governments that want to invest in R&D and production capacity to prepare for future epidemics. He said that although mRNA is an “exciting platform,” it is unlikely to work in many diseases, so having other options is crucial.

He said: “As a vaccine industry, we are at a strategic turning point.” “The awareness of vaccination is increasing, which will only increase market opportunities. [and] Technology is evolving at a speed we never thought of. “

Additional reporting by Leila Abboud

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