Sanofi expands SK bioscience deal for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines

French pharma major Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) says it has entered into a new chapter of the collaboration with South Korean firm SK bioscience (KRX: 302440) in pneumococcal vaccines, with an expanded agreement to develop, license and commercialize next-generation PCVs for both pediatric and adult populations.

Sanofi noted that, despite decades of public health vaccination programs, invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) continues to inflict a substantial burden of disease, primarily due to Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes that are not included in currently available conjugate vaccines. Next-generation PCVs have the potential to extend vaccine coverage of disease-causing serotypes.

This expansion builds on the companies’ existing collaboration to develop and commercialize a PCV21 pediatric vaccine, for which the Phase III clinical program commenced last week.