GSK Prunes Ties with US Biotech Vir
GSK is pruning its cooperation with Vir Biotechnology, turning away from Covid-19 antibody and vaccine research projects while continuing to collaborate with the company on two pandemic assets and programs to treat other respiratory diseases.
In April 2020, the British pharma invested an initial $250 million in the US infectious disease-oriented biotech as part of a four-year project to advance two Covid antibodies. In 2021 it put down $225 million upfront, while investing $120 million to expand the collaboration to cover influenza and other respiratory diseases.
In the current realignment, the partners are eliminating the Covid vaccine program from the antibody part of their 2020 agreement, with the exception of sotrovimab and VIR-7832.
Vir said it will continue working with GSK to “ensure ongoing access to sotrovimab for patients worldwide, where authorized.” It will retain full control of Covid-19 assets previously covered by the collaboration, for which it will pay low- to mid-single digit royalties on any candidates that come to market.
Independently or in collaboration with other partners, Vir said it plans to continue developing next-generation Covid candidates.
Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist
