Takeda and Nanotherapeutics partner to expand influenza vaccine and other programs

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and Nanotherapeutics Inc. recently announced that they have made a partnership to grant Takeda further commercialization and technology access rights for a Vero cell technology platform from Nanotherapeutics.

"We are delighted to partner with Nanotherapeutics to create the opportunity to expand the reach of Takeda's pandemic and seasonal flu vaccines to other parts of the world," Rajeev Venkayya, M.D., president of Takeda's Vaccine Business Unit, said. "Today's agreement reinforces Takeda's commitment to its global vaccine business and our goal of reaching as many people as possible with vaccines that address important unmet needs in global public health."

The new platform is based on a cell culture. It is used to produce vaccines. Nanotherapeutics acquired the technology from Baxalta, which was previously the BioScience division of Baxter International.

"Our acquisition of the Vero cell technology has meaningfully strengthened and increased our core capabilities and internal product portfolio,” James Talton, Ph.D., president and CEO of Nanotherapeutics, said. “That said, we are very pleased to be able to partner with global pharmaceutical leader, Takeda, to expand their access to the technology for further expansion of their vaccine pipeline, thereby also allowing Nanotherapeutics to align itself with a company which has approved and late-stage products in development based on this proven technology platform."

The two organizations did not disclose the financial terms of the collaboration.