Bavarian Nordic to acquire Vivotif and Vaxchora travel vaccines from Emergent BioSolutions

Bavarian Nordic A/S will acquire two oral vaccines from Emergent BioSolutions for a total consideration of up to $380 million, to strengthen its position in the travel vaccines space.

The acquisition is expected to help Bavarian Nordic expand its US commercial sales, marketing, and distribution network, as well as increased scale in additional European markets.

Under the agreement, the Danish biotech company anticipates to broaden its development pipeline by adding Vivotif, a typhoid vaccine, and Vaxchora, a cholera vaccine, along with a potential Chikungunya vaccine.

Bavarian Nordic will also acquire a biologics manufacturing facility in Switzerland and a research and development (R&D) center in San Diego, California for the development of the Chikungunya vaccine.

Paul Chaplin — Bavarian Nordic President and CEO said: “This acquisition adds not only to our commercial portfolio and reinforces our leading position in travel vaccines, but it also strengthens our pipeline with a promising late-stage vaccine candidate against Chikungunya, an emerging infectious disease that represents a significant unmet medical need worldwide.

“Combined, these assets, together with the acquired capabilities within research and development, manufacturing, and commercial, will make a significant contribution to our vision of becoming one of the largest pure-play vaccine companies.”

Bavarian Nordic to acquire Vivotif and Vaxchora travel vaccines from Emergent BioSolutions. Photo courtesy of Angelo Esslinger from Pixabay.

The consideration includes an upfront payment of $270 million upon closing of the transaction and milestone payments of up to $110 million associated with the successful development of the Chikungunya vaccine ($80 million) and sales of the marketed vaccines ($30 million).

Vaxchora is a late-stage vaccine candidate for the prevention Chikungunya with an anticipated phase 3 read-out in the latter half of this year and a possible launch in 2025.

Vivotif and Vaxchora are marketed in over 25 countries, including the US and European nations.

Subject to antitrust regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, the acquisition is likely to close in the first half of this year.