辉瑞收购Redvax加速疫苗业务布局
当地时间2015年1月5日，辉瑞宣布其已获得Redvax GmbH的控股权，Redvax GmbH是一家瑞士的私人控股生物制药公司，总部位于苏黎世。这项交易包括一项巨细胞病毒疫苗（CMV）和一项未公开的疫苗相关的知识产权和技术平台。
通过收购Redvax获得的CMV疫苗项目将进一步完善辉瑞的疫苗业务，并且将使其在CMV疫苗的研发中占据领导地位。
CMV是一种疱疹病毒，约50%~90%的成人会感染该病毒，绝大部分人在感染该病毒时没有明显症状。如果孕龄女性没有CMV抗体，她们在孕期时会非常容易感染CMV病毒，进而影响胎儿发育导致畸形。
美国疾病预防控制中心预测，在美国每年大约有5000名儿童因受CMV影响而致病（包括心脏疾病、畸形和智力残疾），为此每年的医疗费用支出达18.6亿美元，每个孩子花费超过30万美元。为降低CMV病毒带来的影响， 美国医学研究所将CMV疫苗研发列为最高优先级项目。
Pfizer Acquires Redvax GmbH
Acquisition Provides Pfizer with a Preclinical CMV Vaccine Candidate
Monday, January 5, 2015 -7:30amEST
Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has acquired a controlling interest in Redvax GmbH, a spin-off from Redbiotec AG, a privately held Swiss biopharmaceutical company, based in Zurich-Schlieren. This transaction provides access to a preclinical human cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate, as well as intellectual property and a technology platform related to a second, undisclosed vaccine program.
The CMV vaccine program will complement Pfizer's robust research portfolio of high-quality and life-saving investigational vaccines and place Pfizer among the leaders in CMV research and development. CMV is a herpes virus, infecting 50-90% of the adult population, with a majority remaining asymptomatic. A large segment of young adults, especially women of childbearing age who remain CMV negative, are at high risk of CMV infection during pregnancy and of passing the infection on to the unborn child (congenital infection). There are potentially serious and lifelong consequences for babies born with the disease. One out of every five children born with CMV infection may experience hearing loss and severe neurologic disorders. More children have disabilities due to congenital CMV than other well-known infections and syndromes, including Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, spina bifida, and pediatric HIV/AIDS.4
"We are working to bring innovative vaccines to market that prevent and treat serious diseases," said Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D., senior vice president & CSO Vaccine Research & Early Development for Pfizer. "Through the acquisition of the Redvax innovative CMV vaccine platform and expertise we will seek to develop a vaccine to prevent a difficult disease that can have a devastating and lifelong impact on young children."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that, in the U.S., approximately 5,000 children each year develop lasting health problems caused by CMV such as hearing or vision loss, and mental disability. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has ranked the development of a CMV vaccine as a highest priority because of the lives it would save and the disabilities it would prevent. The estimated costs associated with CMV disease for the U.S. health care system amounts to at least $1.86 billion annually. CMV expenses can run more than $300,000 per child.
Christian Schaub, CEO of Redbiotec and Managing Director of Redvax commented, "We are pleased to have completed this deal with Pfizer, a global leader in vaccines. This represents an important step toward the development of a much needed vaccine for CMV, a disease that has a devastating impact on children and families. We believe that combining Redvax's assets with Pfizer's commitment, expertise and resources will significantly enhance the potential of developing this important vaccine."
About Pfizer Inc.
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more, please visit us at www.pfizer.com.
About Redvax GmbH
Redvax is a spin-off from Redbiotec AG, a privately held Swiss biopharmaceutical company, based in Zurich-Schlieren. Redvax is a preclinical stage company. The company develops multi-component virus-like particles (VLPs) and other protein assemblies for vaccine development in the field of CMV and a further undisclosed field.
