Pharma giant Merck enter coronavirus vaccine race with three treatments
US pharmaceuticals giant Merck has thrown itself into the race to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus disease with the purchase of Austrian vaccine maker Themis.
The Themis vaccine, which is being developed in partnership with the Pasteur Institute in Paris, is based on a modified measles vaccine.
Doses are already being produced for clinical trials.
In addition to the acquisition, Merck also announced a partnership with the non-profit International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) to develop a separate vaccine.
This second treatment is based on one of Merck’s already approved Ebola treatments, and is expected to begin human trials later this year.
Rounding out its expansion into the hunt for treatments for the new disease, the New Jersey headquartered firm also announced another partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics to make an antiviral treatment for the disease.
The pill, which is like Gilead Sciences much-heralded Remdesivir drug, is designed to prevent the reproduction of the virus.
The global hunt for a treatment for the disease has spawned more than 80 initiatives around the world, with Merck slow off the mark compared to some of its competitors.
Speaking to Reuters, chief executive Ken Frazier said: ““We wanted to be in a position where we could choose things that have the right kind of characteristics to make a contribution for a virus that’s likely to be with us for some time”.
However, he also warned that the 12-18 month timeframe to develop an effective vaccine was “very aggressive”.
He told the Financial Times: “Our experience suggests those are very aggressive compared to other timelines for getting a safe and effective vaccine.”