BioChem Pharma, SmithKline Beecham Biologicals Establish Development Alliance

BioChem Pharma Inc. (Laval, Quebec) and SmithKline Beecham Biologicals (Rixensart, Belgium) have signed a heads of agreement covering BioChem's novel influenza vaccines, including its cell-derived injectable vaccine and its egg-derived and cell-derived nasal vaccines. The final agreement should be completed by the third quarter of this year.

Over the last few years, BioChem has developed a cell-culture process as a replacement for the classical egg-based manufacturing process. In Canada, BioChem is completing Phase II/III clinical trials with its injectable cell-culture derived vaccine. As part of this agreement, a delivery technology licensed from Biovector Therapeutics SA is used for the development of a nasally administered influenza vaccine, which is currently in Phase I clinical evaluation.

BioChem's cell-culture technology allows the artificial maintenance and growth of a specific cell under well defined conditions. The cultured cells are used as a substrate for the production of large quantity of virus. In the currently used embryonated egg-based technology, the time required to produce pre-determined quantities of classical vaccines results in a planning and manufacturing process that takes one year or longer. The new cell-culture based technology could produce a better vaccine in greater volume. In the case of a pandemic or worldwide outbreak of influenza, it could also manufacture the vaccine more rapidly.

Vaccines administered nasally rather than by injection could make a significant contribution to overcoming the barrier that annual injection poses to wide acceptance of vaccination. In addition, a nasally administrated flu vaccine could offer better protection as it creates a local immunological barrier to influenza infection.

Edited by Beth Brindle

For more information: BioChem Pharma Inc., 275 Armand-Frappier Blvd., Laval, Quebec H7V 4A7 CANADA. *Tel.: 514-681-1744; *Fax: 514-978-7755.
*Please note: The area code will change to (450) as of June 13, 1998