Takeda Ends Plans for a Vaccine Launch in Japan Due to GSK Supply Decision

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited has cancelled its planned launch in Japan of Vaxem Hib, a conjugate vaccine to prevent infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib), due to the discontinuation of the manufacture and supply of the vaccine worldwide by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as part of an ongoing process by GSK to optimize its worldwide manufacturing footprint.

GSK is the only supplier of this vaccine to Takeda. GSK’s decision to discontinue its manufacture and supply of the vaccine is accompanied by the termination of a distribution agreement with Takeda for Japan.

Takeda developed the vaccine for Japan in collaboration with Novartis, and GSK subsequently acquired Novartis’ vaccine business (excluding Novartis’ influenza vaccines business) in March 2015 for up to $7.1 billion plus royalites ($5.25 billion upfront and $1.8 billion in future milestone payments). Takeda had planned to launch the vaccine in Japan in early 2017. GSK recently made the decision to terminate global production and supply of Vaxem Hib and subsequently informed Takeda of this decision. Takeda said that it had proposed alternatives to GSK to allow the launch of the vaccine to proceed as planned, but GSK deemed these options not feasible, according to a statement by Takeda.

In January 2016, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare approved Takeda’s new drug application for Vaxem Hib in children aged from two months to under five years of age for preventing infections caused by Hib. Hib frequently inhabits the nasopharynx (nose and throat) of individuals and can spread to other parts of the body, causing illnesses, such as meningitis, pneumonia, or sepsis, particularly in young children.

Moving forward, Takeda said it will maintain its focus on vaccine development programs against infectious diseases such as dengue fever, the Zika virus, norovirus, and polio.

Source: Takeda Pharmaceutical

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