CEPI will provide Merck with $30 million and Merck will, in turn, leverage its joint venture with Wellcome, called Hilleman Laboratories, to develop an Ebola vaccine with an updated manufacturing process.
- The collaboration aims to change the manufacturing process with the goal of increasing yield and the vaccine's shelf life, allowing it to be stored in regular refrigerators for several months.
- Merck will also explore options for making the updated vaccine available to public sector buyers in low- and middle-income countries at a significantly more affordable price.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations said on Wednesday that they have partnered with pharmaceutical giant Merck (MRK) to develop an Ebola vaccine for low- and middle-income countries.
MRK shares traded about 2% higher at the time of writing.
Partnership Details
Under the partnership, CEPI will provide Merck with $30 million and Merck will, in turn, leverage its joint venture with Wellcome, called Hilleman Laboratories, to develop an Ebola vaccine with an updated manufacturing process. Merck will provide both critical technical expertise and ongoing support to Hilleman Laboratories.
Merck’s existing Zaire ebolavirus vaccine was developed in the midst of the 2014-16 West African Ebola crisis and involves a complex manufacturing process, making it expensive to produce and difficult to scale. The vaccine’s storage demands also pose significant logistical challenges.
The collaboration aims to change the manufacturing process with the goal of increasing yield and the vaccine's shelf life, allowing it to be stored in regular refrigerators for several months.
Additional Commitments
Merck will also explore options for making the updated vaccine available to public sector buyers in low- and middle-income countries at a significantly more affordable price than the current vaccine, the global health coalition said.
CEPI, meanwhile, said it will also fund a late-stage immunobridging clinical trial in countries in Africa where the current vaccine is approved for use. The trial will evaluate the immune response generated by the updated vaccine and compare its immune response to that generated by the current licensed vaccine to determine the efficacy of the updated vaccine.
How Did Stocktwits Users React?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around MRK stock fell from ‘neutral’ to ‘bearish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume stayed at ‘normal’ levels.
MRK stock has gained 16% over the past 12 months.
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