Pfizer Pays up to $525 Million for ReViral
Pfizer has agreed to buy privately held, clinical-stage biopharma ReViral for up to $525 million, including upfront and development milestones. ReViral is focused on developing and commercializing novel antiviral therapies that target respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can lead to severe and life-threatening lower respiratory infections in high-risk populations.
“Currently, treatment options for RSV are extremely limited and focus primarily on supportive care,” said Pfizer senior vice president and chief scientific officer, bacterial vaccines and hospital, Annaliesa Anderson. “The proposed acquisition of ReViral’s pipeline of therapeutic candidates is complementary to our efforts to advance the first vaccine candidate to help protect against this harmful disease. Combining the capabilities and expertise of our organizations will enable us to further the clinical development of a potential therapy for those with RSV disease.”
ReViral’s lead product candidate is sisunatovir, an orally administered fusion inhibitor that has been granted Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration and is currently in phase 2 clinical trials. The company also has an RSV-N-protein replication inhibitor program in phase 1 clinical development.
Pfizer is also developing its own late-phase RSV vaccine candidate, known as PF-06928316 or RSVpreF, which received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA last month for preventing lower respiratory tract disease in people aged 60 years or older.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
