December 19, 2012

          

      
Imaxio signed an option for a licence agreement with Merial, to develop an animal health vaccine based on Imaxio's immune-enhancing IMX313 technology.

Merial will conduct an internal review of the IMX313 technology for a period of 12-18 months and, depending on results, will sign a licence agreement. Details of the vaccine candidate and the financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The aim of IMX313, Imaxio's proprietary technology for antigen re-engineering, is to significantly enhance the immune response and, therefore, the efficacy of vaccines with which it is used. In response to the challenge of certain inefficacious vaccine candidates, IMX313 is a high-potential solution, which would not only enable the dose to be reduced but also the number of revaccinations needed.

"This agreement with a world leader in the animal health sector such as Merial further confirms the significance of our IMX313 technology in developing more efficacious vaccines," said Alexandre Le Vert, Managing Director of Imaxio.

Imaxio SA is a biopharmaceutical company specialised in the areas of vaccines and genomics. Using IMX313, its antigen re-engineering technology, Imaxio is developing, both individually and with its partners, recombinant vaccines with improved effectiveness for applications in both human and animal health. In France, Imaxio already markets Spirolept^®, a human vaccine against leptospirosis.

Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals.