Emergent closes on deal to acquire PaxVax

Emergent BioSolutions completed its acquisition of PaxVax, a company that develops specialty vaccines that protect against infectious diseases typhoid and cholera.

Emergent now has two PaxVax vaccines – Vivotif, which treats typhoid fever, and Vaxchora, which treats cholera. Emergent acquired PaxVax for approximately $270 million.

Vivotif is the only oral vaccine licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of typhoid fever. Vaxchora is the only FDA-licensed vaccine for the prevention of cholera, a potentially serious intestinal disease.

It also broadens Emergent’s development pipeline as PaxVax was working on vaccines that address adenovirus types 4 and 7, which are common causes of acute respiratory disease, and chikungunya, a viral disease spread to humans by infected mosquitoes that can cause debilitating joint pain. Further, Emergent acquired the company’s global specialty salesforce.

“Emergent is pleased with the closing of this transaction, which diversifies our customer base, expands our portfolio of both marketed and pipeline products, broadens our commercial and manufacturing capabilities, and strengthens our workforce of talented and committed professionals,” Abigail Jenkins, senior vice president and head of the Vaccines and Anti-Infectives Business Unit at Emergent BioSolutions, said. “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues to Emergent. Together we will continue to grow our vaccines business in pursuit of our mission – to protect and enhance life.”

Emergent, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a global life sciences company that focuses on providing specialty products for civilian and military populations that address public health threats. The company has a vision of protecting and enhancing 50 million lives with its products by 2025.