Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda), a research-based global company, and Nanotherapeutics, Inc., an integrated biopharmaceutical company, announced an agreement providing Takeda with expanded commercialization and technology access rights related to Nanotherapeutics’ Vero cell technology platform – a cell culture-based platform for vaccine production which Nanotherapeutics acquired from Baxalta, formerly Baxter International’s BioScience division. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In 2010, Takeda and Baxter entered into an agreement in which Takeda licensed from Baxter certain exclusive rights to the technology for the development of pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines for the Japanese market. Takeda’s cell culture-based H5N1 and prototype vaccine for pandemic influenza was developed on this platform and was approved in Japan in March 2014. Takeda is currently developing a cell-based seasonal flu vaccine (TAK-850) on the same platform for use in Japan.  

The agreement with Nanotherapeutics extinguishes Takeda’s remaining financial obligations under the initial agreement with Baxter. Additionally, Takeda gains rights to commercialize its pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine products, based on the Vero cell technology platform, in certain regions outside of Japan and will have access to Vero cell technology and reagents for the development of vaccines beyond influenza.

“We are delighted to partner with Nanotherapeutics to create the opportunity to expand the reach of Takeda’s pandemic and seasonal flu vaccines to other parts of the world,” said Rajeev Venkayya, M.D., president of Takeda’s vaccine business unit. “Today’s agreement reinforces Takeda’s commitment to its global vaccine business and our goal of reaching as many people as possible with vaccines that address important unmet needs in global public health.”

James Talton, president and chief executive officer of Nanotherapeutics, noted, "Our acquisition of the Vero cell technology has meaningfully strengthened and increased our core capabilities and internal product portfolio. That said, we are very pleased to be able to partner with global pharmaceutical leader, Takeda, to expand their access to the technology for further expansion of their vaccine pipeline, thereby also allowing Nanotherapeutics to align itself with a company which has approved and late-stage products in development based on this proven technology platform.”

Vero cell technology: On December 9 2014, Baxter International Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its proprietary Vero cell technology and related assets, including its production facility in Bohumil, Czech Republic, to Nanotherapeutics, Inc. The Vero cell platform is an advanced, cell-based technology for vaccine production. The agreement with Nanotherapeutics includes all assets related to the platform, including vaccines for H5N1, H1N1 and seasonal influenza. The agreement also includes investigational vaccine programs for Ross River virus, Chikungunya disease and West Nile virus.