The patents cover valuable vaccine components, such as the Ebola antigens and vectors. The license also covers ‘one-shot’ emergency vaccination strategies that have proven to be effective in relevant animal models.
“This license uniquely positions Crucell to commercialize an Ebola vaccine,” said the company’s chief executive officer, Dr Ronald Brus. “It underlines our joint commitment to develop an effective countermeasure against an important potential bioterrorist threat.”
Crucell is focused on developing vaccines and antibodies that prevent and treat infectious diseases, including Ebola, influenza, malaria, West Nile virus and rabies. The company’s development programs include collaborations with Sanofi Pasteur for influenza vaccines, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for Ebola and malaria vaccines, and GlaxoSmithKline, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and New York University for a malaria vaccine.