Boehringer Ingelheim, currently one of Valneva's commercial licensees, is expanding its research programs to investigate additional viruses in EB66® cells.
Thomas Lingelbach, President and Chief Executive Officer and Franck Grimaud, President and Chief Business Officer of Valneva, commented, "Boehringer Ingelheim has been a licensee to the EB66® cell line since 2010, where their current work with the EB66® platform has resulted in their request for additional rights to this innovative technology for the production of animal health vaccines. We are pleased to continue our relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim and look forward to future results achieved with EB66® cells in the company's development of veterinary vaccine products."
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About Valneva SE Valneva is a new European biotech company focused on vaccine development and antibody discovery. It was created in 2013 through the merger between Intercell AG and Vivalis SA. Valneva's mission is to excel in both antibody discovery, and vaccine development and commercialization, either through in-house programs or in collaboration with industrial partners using innovative technologies developed by the company. Valneva generates diversified revenue from both its marketed product, a vaccine for the prevention of Japanese encephalitis (IXIARO®),commercial partnerships around a portfolio of product candidates (in-house and partnered), and licensed technology platforms (EB66®cell line, VIVA|ScreenTM and IC31®)developed by Valneva that are becoming widely adopted by the biopharmaceutical industry worldwide. Headquarted in Lyon, France, the company employs approximately 350 people in France, Austria, Scotland, the United States, and Japan. The internationally experienced management team has a proven track-record across research, development, manufacturing and commercialization
EB66® Cell Line Valneva's EB66® cell line is a highly efficient platform for vaccine production. It is derived from duck embryonic stem cells and today represents the only alternative to chicken eggs for large scale manufacturing of human and veterinary vaccines. To date, the company has more than 30 research and commercial agreements with the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to license its EB66® technology . A research license generally lasts between 12 and 24 months and generates payments of less than EUR 200,000. If successful it can lead to a commercial license with upfront payments, clinical milestones and royalties. The first veterinary vaccine using the EB66® technology received market approval in 2012 and a New Drug application (NDA) for human pandemic Influenza is currently under review in Japan.