Sanofi and GSK collaborate on COVID-19 vaccine

17 April 2020. Related: COVID-19: vaccine research, COVID-19.

Company press release

On 14 April 2020, Sanofi and GSK announced they would be collaborating to develop an adjuvanted vaccine for COVID-19, using innovative technology from both companies.

Sanofi will contribute its S-protein COVID-19 antigen, which is based on recombinant DNA technology. This technology has produced an exact genetic match to proteins found on the surface of the virus, and the DNA sequence encoding this antigen has been combined into the DNA of the baculovirus expression platform, the basis of Sanofi’s licensed recombinant influenza product in the US.

GSK will contribute its proven pandemic adjuvant technology to the collaboration. The use of an adjuvant can be of particular importance in a pandemic situation since it may reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, allowing more vaccine doses to be produced and therefore contributing to protect more people.

Candidate vaccine expected to enter phase 1 trials in the second half of 2020 and, if successful, to be available in the second half of 2021

Ref: Sanofi and GSK to join forces in unprecedented vaccine collaboration to fight COVID-19 (14 April 2020).
https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/sanofi-and-gsk-to-join-forces-in-unprecedented-vaccine-collaboration-to-fight-covid-19