Hope for new antiviral that could earn Vaxart $130 million in licensing deal

7 July 2021

Vaxart (Nasdaq: VXRT) is to allow Altesa Biosciences to develop and commercialize its patented formulation of the capsid-binding vapendavir, a clinical-stage broad spectrum antiviral, as part of an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement.

While Vaxart is primarily a clinical-stage biotech developing oral recombinant vaccines that are administered by tablet rather than by injection, fellow US firm Altesa is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics addressing RNA viruses.

"I am hopeful that we can create modern antiviral treatments as we have with HIV, MERS and SARS"Vaxart’s chief executive, Andrei Floroiu, said: “We believe that vapendavir has lifesaving potential in the treatment of a range of viral infections for which there are currently no approved antivirals.

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