Intercell signs marketing deal for Japanese encephalitis vaccine in Japan and Korea

Partnership

Austrian vaccines specialist Intercell AG has signed an exclusive agreement with Novartis AG for the marketing and distribution of its Japanese encephalitis vaccine in Japan and Korea. This expands the commercialisation agreement the two signed in 2006. Additional financial details were not disclosed.

“Japanese encephalitis is endemic to Japan and Korea and poses a significant risk, particularly to children,” said Gerd Zettlmeissl, CEO of Intercell. It was a priority for Intercell to identify a very strong marketing partner for these markets, where the disease is a major public health threat.”

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne infection that strikes 30,000 to 50,000 individuals a year, causing 10,000 to 15,000 deaths. Up to 50 per cent of survivors have persistent neurological problems. The disease is most common in developing countries in Asia. No treatment is currently available and vaccination is the only effectively means of preventing the disease.

Though other vaccines have been available in the past, use of these products was limited due to reports of neurological reactions. Intercell’s vaccine was developed for over 10 years under a US Collaborative Research and Development Agreement with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

In December 2008 Intercell AG, a spin-out from the University of Vienna, received approval of its vaccine in Europe and Australia. The vaccine is the company’s first product on the market.