Abbott (ABT) to Collaborate w/ Astellas Pharma Over TransVax Phase 3
Tweet
Share
E-mailGet Alerts ABT Hot Sheet
Join SI Premium – FREE
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that it has signed an agreement to collaborate with Astellas Pharma Global Development in a Phase 3 clinical trial for ASP0113 (TransVax), an investigational vaccine licensed from Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) for preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in transplant patients.
Under the agreement, Abbott's RealTime CMV assay, which is performed on the Abbott m2000 System and intended for investigational use only, will be used to monitor patients for CMV viral load in order to assess the vaccine's efficacy. Viral load is a measure of the severity of a viral infection or the amount of active virus in the blood.
A herpes virus, CMV infects half of all adults by age 40 and is the most common viral infection in transplant recipients. After primary infection, CMV establishes lifelong latency without causing symptoms. The virus is often dormant in those who are healthy but can cause illness in immunocompromised people, such as those undergoing stem cell or organ transplants. Hematopoietic cell transplant patients and other individuals with depressed immune systems are vulnerable to severe complications from CMV infection, including CMV disease and death.
Under the agreement, Abbott's RealTime CMV assay, which is performed on the Abbott m2000 System and intended for investigational use only, will be used to monitor patients for CMV viral load in order to assess the vaccine's efficacy. Viral load is a measure of the severity of a viral infection or the amount of active virus in the blood.
A herpes virus, CMV infects half of all adults by age 40 and is the most common viral infection in transplant recipients. After primary infection, CMV establishes lifelong latency without causing symptoms. The virus is often dormant in those who are healthy but can cause illness in immunocompromised people, such as those undergoing stem cell or organ transplants. Hematopoietic cell transplant patients and other individuals with depressed immune systems are vulnerable to severe complications from CMV infection, including CMV disease and death.
Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!
You May Also Be Interested In
- Abbott Labs (ABT) PT Raised to $135 at TD Cowen
- Boeing names Ryan Shedd as new SVP and controller
- Nu Skin EVP of global sales takes medical leave
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
Corporate News, FDASign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!
