After struggling to find support for its inactivated whole-virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001, French vaccine company Valneva SE (Nasdaq:VALN; Euronext Paris:VLA) has received a €90.5 ($95) million investment from Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), which amounts to 8.1% of the company’s share capital at a price of €9.49 per share.
The Saint-Herblain, France–based company plans on using the funding to support a planned Phase 3 study involving the Lyme disease vaccine candidate VLA15. Pfizer will lead the Phase 3 study, scheduling it for the third quarter of 2022.
In February, Valneva and Pfizer announced positive data from a Phase 2 study of the VLA15 vaccine. The data suggested that a three-dose primary series of the vaccine promised to offer a robust immune response.
In related news, the European Medicines Agency recently recommended authorizing Valneva’s VLA2001 COVID-19 vaccine for individuals between 18 and 50.
After the vaccine won regulatory approval in the United Kingdom, the government moved to cancel a supply agreement for the COVID-19 vaccine.
EU regulators also announced plans to terminate an Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) related to the vaccine candidate.
Filed Under: Infectious Disease
