UK- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has completed the acquisition of Massachusetts-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Affinivax Inc.

According to GSK, the purchase of Affinivax is consistent with its objective of assembling a potent portfolio of specialized drugs and vaccines.

In May this year, GSK signed an agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of Affinivax.

The British pharmaceutical company was to pay a US$2.1 billion upfront fee and up to US$1.2 billion in future milestone payments under the terms of the agreement.

Subject to customary closing requirements, such as the passing of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act’s waiting period, the transaction was to close in the third quarter of 2022.

GSK chief scientific officer Tony Wood said: “Affinivax’s exciting pneumococcal vaccine candidates, the potentially disruptive MAPs technology and their fantastic scientific talent, further strengthen our pipeline of novel vaccines and presence in the Boston area”.

The advanced next-generation pneumococcal vaccines are one of the unique classes of vaccines that Affinivax is working to produce.

The advanced next-generation pneumococcal vaccines are one of the unique classes of vaccines that Affinivax is working to produce.

The business creates AFX3772, a candidate for a 24-valent pneumococcal vaccine that is currently through Phase 2 studies.

In comparison to the current standard of care, AFX3772 was well tolerated by participants and showed good immune responses in the adult Phase 1–2 clinical studies.

In July of last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated AFX3772 as a Breakthrough Therapy to prevent pneumonia in individuals 50 years of age and older.

The company began Phase 2 clinical trials in June of this year to evaluate the usage of the vaccine in the pediatric population and is currently getting ready to launch the Phase 3 program.

The vaccine is based on the incredibly ground-breaking Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPSTM) platform technology.

Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPSTM) is a unique and very effective vaccination technology platform that permits the precise, high-affinity binding of pathogen-derived polysaccharides and immune-relevant proteins into a single vaccine.

The unique plug-and-play functionality of MAP makes it possible to target a variety of infectious diseases.

Affinivax also creates a pneumococcal vaccine candidate with 30-plus valents; this vaccine is currently in pre-clinical testing.

Pneumococcal illness prevention has been the primary goal of the technology’s initial application.

The method has also been shown to be effective against other bacteria that cause infectious diseases, such as those that result in infections acquired in hospitals.

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