Emergent to acquire Protien Sciences' FluBlock, BEVS

ROCKVILLE, Md., and MERIDEN, Conn. Emergent BioSolutions and Protein Sciences have entered into an asset purchase agreement under which Emergent will acquire Protein’s ongoing operation, including FluBlok, a phase III recombinant influenza vaccine candidate, and certain other assets including its Baculovirus Expression Vector System technology.

BEVS is a cell culture-based manufacturing platform used to manufacture FluBlok. The BEVS technology can be applied to develop vaccines and therapeutic candidates to prevent or treat a wide range of diseases. Emergent will also acquire other product candidates. PSC’s other product candidates are based on the BEVS platform and include a SARS vaccine in preclinical development. Also, Emergent acquires a vaccine manufacturing facility. This facility is located in Meriden, Connecticut and includes a 600-liter bioreactor and related upstream and downstream capabilities.

“We are delighted about the opportunity to commercialize the first recombinant cell culture influenza vaccine. We believe that FluBlok will become a strong competitive product in the sizeable and growing seasonal influenza market and that BEVS will provide a unique platform for the development of a novel pandemic influenza candidate. We congratulate the management of PSC in building a manufacturing operation and for bringing FluBlok through a Phase III clinical trial to the point of a BLA submission. Emergent, with the combined resources of PSC, is well positioned to bring this exciting product to the market successfully, based on our product development, regulatory and manufacturing experience,” said Fuad El-Hibri, chairman and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. “The acquisition of FluBlok is consistent with Emergent’s strategy of expanding its product portfolio with a vaccine candidate focused on a major infectious disease.”