Acambis expands manufacturing capability

The fill/finish plant bought from BioReliance Corporation, a subsidiary of Invitrogen Corporation, will be used to develop and expand Acambis’ vaccine range covering smallpox, West Nile disease and the Clostridium difficile virus. Early clinical trial results for the company’s West Nile virus have already proved successful.

The new purchase may be just what the company needs to revive its revenues as its US small pox vaccine contract nears completion. Acambis reported a first-quarter loss of $10.9 million before tax in the last three months, attributed to the contracts conclusion.

However, the company expects the US government to request a weakened version of smallpox vaccine suitable for vulnerable people, which could be worth as much as $900 million. The new contract would be shared between Acambis and Danish firm Bavarian Nordic. By expanding their premises, Acambis hopes to be better equipped to bid for such contracts.

BioReliance was one of only two commercial contract manufacturers filling live, viral vaccines in the US. To acquire BioReliance’s fill/finish assets, Acambis will pay $3 million up front and a further $4.5 million in 12 equal instalments between 2006 and 2017. Acambis will also assume responsibility for the 12-year lease. No employees are being transferred to Acambis as a result of the transaction.

In summing up what the acquisition means for Acambis, Gordon Cameron, CEO of the company, said: “We are now fully integrated for the first time with the capability to take a vaccine from concept to commercialization.”