GSK to Acquire Affinivax for $2.1 Billion

GSK has agreed to acquire Cambridge-based Affinivax for a $2.1 billion upfront payment and up to $1.2 billion in potential development milestones. Affinivax is pioneering the development of a novel class of vaccines, the most advanced of which are next-generation pneumococcal vaccines. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2022.

Pneumococcal disease includes pneumonia, meningitis, bloodstream infections, and milder diseases such as sinusitis and otitis media and remains a significant unmet medical need despite the availability of current pneumococcal vaccines. There are many different pneumococcal serotypes. The number of serotypes in current vaccines is limited due to the degree of immunological interference observed when using existing conjugation technologies. Affinivax has developed the Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPS), a novel technology enabling broader coverage against prevalent pneumococcal serotypes and potentially creating higher immunogenicity than current vaccines.

In July 2021, the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for AFX3772, Affinivax’s most advanced vaccine candidate, to prevent Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive disease and pneumonia in adults 50 years and above. Phase III is expected to start in the short term. Phase I/II clinical trials to assess the use of the vaccine in pediatrics are planned to begin later this year.

“Affinivax grew out of our founders’ scientific and personal vision to drive vaccine innovation to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives, in both developed and developing countries,” said Affinivax CEO Steven Brugger. “Over the past eight years, we have taken that vision from the initial development of our Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPS) vaccine platform at Boston Children’s Hospital to a pipeline of novel vaccines with our lead vaccine candidate in late-stage clinical studies. We are proud that GSK has recognized our team’s accomplishments and are confident that GSK is an ideal new home for our MAPS platform and the team behind its success. GSK’s significant capabilities will enable continued advances with MAPS to improve existing vaccines – as is the case with our lead Streptococcus pneumoniae MAPS vaccine program – and develop vaccines that combat novel and resistant infectious diseases for which there are no effective immunization strategies available today.” (Source: Affinivax Website, 31 May, 2022)