GCGC Biopharma(006280) said on the 28th that it signed a strategic partnership with French vaccine development biotech Osivax for the development and commercialization of a next-generation flu vaccine. Detailed contract terms are undisclosed by mutual agreement.
Under the agreement, the two sides plan to develop a premium combination vaccine that combines GC Biopharma's flu vaccine GC Flu with Osivax's type A flu vaccine candidate OVX836 into a single-shot administration.
GC Flu is a standard vaccine certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) Prequalification program and induces a B-cell antibody response to hemagglutinin (HA), a major surface antigen of the influenza virus.
OVX836 is a recombinant protein vaccine candidate targeting the nucleoprotein (NP), an internal viral protein with a low mutation rate, and elicits a strong T-cell immune response.
The vaccine the two sides are developing uses complementary dual immune mechanisms (mode of action) to aim for strong protection against a broader range of seasonal and novel influenza viruses.
Under the agreement, Osivax will lead global development and commercialization of the vaccine. GC Biopharma secured exclusive rights for domestic commercialization. The company established a diversified business model that generates additional revenue, including royalties from commercialization, as well as long-term GC Flu supply rights.
Heo Eun-cheol, CEO of GC Biopharma, said, "For the development of next-generation flu vaccines, collaboration among corporations with expertise across diverse scientific fields is essential," adding, "This collaboration will serve as an opportunity to continuously expand GC Biopharma's entry into key advanced markets while strengthening its domestic foothold."
Alexandre Le Vert, CEO and co-founder of Osivax, said, "Market demand remains very strong for approaches that can provide broader and longer-lasting protection against continuously mutating influenza viruses," adding, "This collaboration will be a pivotal opportunity to combine Osivax's innovative T cell–centric technology with the long-standing expertise and capabilities GC Biopharma has built through the development and production of GC Flu."