January 2, 2009

Merial and Imugene establish strategic alliance

Animal health company, Merial, and Australian company Imugene have signed a comprehensive agreement allowing Merial to obtain exclusive rights to Imugene vector technology.

Under the Strategic Alliance, commenced on December 31, 2008, Merial will progress vaccine candidates through the product development process to global sales and additional candidates will be evaluated for proof of concept and, if successful, will also progress into the product development process.

The terms of the alliance includes the Poultry Productivity Enhancer, which will now be progressed with other Fowl Adeno Virus (FAV) and Porcine Adeno Virus (PAV) vectored vaccine candidates already researched by Imugene and additional vaccine candidates to be disclosed by Merial.

Imugene managing director Warwick Lamb said the results from recent trials and vaccine development activities have been significant and have led to the alliance arrangements with Merial.

Lamb also said this alliance and licensing agreement gives Merial access to important technology for the innovation of new approaches that could allow veterinarian customers innovative means for managing important, poorly controlled diseases of swine and poultry.