AstraZeneca to acquire Icosavax for up to $1.1bn
Betsy Goodfellow | December 12, 2023 | News story | Business Services | AstraZeneca, Icosavax, Immunology, acquisition, immunology, vaccines
AstraZeneca has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Icosavax for approximately $15 per share or an approximate total value of $1.1bn.
The acquisition is intended to build on AstraZeneca’s expertise in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and strengthening its vaccines and immune therapies late-stage pipeline with Icosavax’s investigational candidate IVX-A12.
IVX-A12 is a potential first in class, phase 3-ready, combination protein virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine which targets both RSV and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), both leading causes of respiratory infection and hospitalisation in adults over the age of 60 with chronic conditions such as cardiovascular, renal and respiratory disease.
Iskra Reic, executive vice president, vaccines and immune therapies, AstraZeneca, commented: “This VLP vaccine technology has the potential to transform prevention against severe infectious diseases, including RSV and hMPV. With the addition of Icosavax’s phase 3-ready lead asset to our late-stage pipeline, we will have a differentiated, advanced investigational vaccine and a platform for further development of combination vaccines against respiratory viruses. This aligns with our strategy to deliver a portfolio of therapies to address high unmet needs in infectious diseases and our ambition to protect the most vulnerable patients who have high risk of severe outcomes.”
Adam Simpson, chief executive officer at Icosavax, added: “We are pleased to announce the proposed acquisition of Icosavax by AstraZeneca as we believe it offers the opportunity to accelerate and expand access to, our potential first-in-class combination vaccine for older adults at risk of RSV and hMPV. We look forward to combining our skills and expertise in advancing the development of IVX-A12 with AstraZeneca’s decades of experience in RSV, resources and capabilities in late-stage development.”
Betsy Goodfellow
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