The Oxford-Emergent Tuberculosis Consortium Ltd. has signed an agreement with Vivalis to evaluate large-scale commercial production capabilities for MVA85A, the consortium’s new TB vaccine candidate.
Under the commercial agreement, the consortium will explore production of MVA85A using a Vivalis proprietary cell line, which is derived from duck embryonic stem cells.
The consortium, a joint venture between the University of Oxford and Emergent BioSolutions Inc., recently announced the commencement of a clinical trial to evaluate MVA85A in approximately 2,784 children younger than 1 year in South Africa.