Agreement was inked so that Celldex may focus on its immunotherapies.
Vaccine Technologies (VTI) bought exclusive rights to Celldex Therapeutics’ CholeraGarde® and ETEC (enterotoxigenic E. coli) vaccine programs. The agreement includes a worldwide fee- and royalty-bearing exclusive license to VTI.
“This partnership allows us to monetize the potential of these assets while we focus Celldex’ resources on our precision-targeted immunotherapy platform and the clinical and preclinical programs that are emerging from this novel approach to immunotherapy,” comments Anthony S. Marucci, president and CEO of Celldex. The furthest along in development is a Phase II glioblastoma treatment in partnership with Pfizer.
VTI plans to continue the clinical development of the CholeraGarde and ETEC programs in conjunction with Celldex’ current partners, The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the NIAID, respectively. The IVI is presently conducting a Phase II study of CholeraGarde in Bangladesh, with plans to sponsor additional Phase II investigations in India and Thailand beginning in the first half followed by Phase III evaluations. IVI has purchased clinical materials produced at Celldex’ Fall River, MA, manufacturing facility for these trials.
The NIAID is presently conducting a Phase I study of the ETEC investigational single-dose, oral vaccine, which is designed to offer combined protection against both ETEC and cholera, at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
