Valneva signs two new EB66 cell line agreements

France-based biotech firm Valneva (EPA: VLA) has signed two new license agreements for the development of veterinary and human vaccines on its EB66cell line, bringing the number of new EB66deals signed since the beginning of the year to seven.

The first license agreement was granted to Italian pharmaceutical company Fatro for the development and commercialization of two veterinary vaccines on EB66cells. Under the terms of the agreement, Valneva received an undisclosed upfront payment and is eligible to receive milestone payments along with future royalties on net sales.

Valneva also announced the signing of a new research license agreement with Japan’s Kaketsuken to develop a novel human vaccine candidate using the EB66cell line. The new agreement follows two marketing approvals which were granted to Kaketsuken by the Japanese health authorities for an EB66-based pandemic H5N1 influenza vaccine in March 2014 and for an EB66-based prototype vaccine against any strain of pandemic influenza in March 2015. The company further anticipates that Kaketsuken will be awarded a first stockpiling contract by the Japanese government in 2015 leading to first royalties for an EB66based human vaccine upon vaccine delivery from 2016 onwards.