- Acquisition expands Pfizer’s anti-infective pipeline and reinforces commitment to developing both medicines and vaccines to help combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced the successful completion of its acquisition of ReViral, a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel antiviral therapeutics that target respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
ReViral brings to Pfizer a portfolio of promising therapeutic candidates, including sisunatovir, an orally administered inhibitor designed to block fusion of the RSV virus to the host cell. Sisunatovir has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It significantly reduced viral load in a phase 2 RSV human challenge study in healthy adults and is currently in phase 2 clinical development in infants. The development program for sisunatovir is expected to continue in both adult and pediatric populations. A second program is focused on the inhibition of RSV replication targeting the viral N protein. The lead candidate in this program is currently in phase 1 clinical development.
“We are excited to bring ReViral’s promising investigational treatments for RSV into our anti-infective pipeline at Pfizer. This acquisition further demonstrates our commitment to advancing pioneering science – both through our in-house expertise and our work with leading, innovative companies – with the goal of delivering new breakthroughs to patients suffering from serious infectious diseases,” said Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and President, Worldwide Research, Development and Medical of Pfizer. “We believe these therapeutic candidates – and the scientific expertise that has advanced their development – will complement our ongoing work to help combat RSV infections, and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to further support these endeavors.”
RSV is a respiratory pathogen, which can lead to severe and life-threatening lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in high-risk populations, including young children, immunocompromised individuals, and older adults. It is estimated to cause infections in approximately 64 million people, resulting in about 160,000 deaths, globally each year. Currently, treatment options for RSV are limited, with care management focused primarily on supportive measures for people with the illness.
Additional Transaction Details
Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer acquired ReViral for a total consideration of up to $525 million, including upfront and development milestones. If successful, Pfizer believes annual revenue for these programs has the potential to reach or exceed $1.5 billion.
For additional background on the acquisition, please read the announcement press release here.
About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world’s premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.Pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer.
Disclosure Notice
The information contained in this release is as of June 9, 2022. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward‐looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.
This release contains forward-looking information about Pfizer’s acquisition of ReViral, ReViral’s pipeline portfolio of therapeutic candidates, including sisunatovir, and potential revenue, and Pfizer’s infectious disease research and development and innovative anti-infective and vaccine portfolio and pipeline, including Pfizer’s investigational RSV vaccine programs, including their potential benefits, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition, including the possibility that the expected benefits from the acquisition will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; negative effects of the consummation of the acquisition on the market price of Pfizer’s common stock and/or operating results; significant transaction costs; unknown liabilities; the risk of litigation and/or regulatory actions related to the acquisition of ReViral’s business; other business effects and uncertainties, including the effects of industry, market, business, economic, political or regulatory conditions; future exchange and interest rates; changes in tax and other laws, regulations, rates and policies; future business combinations or disposals; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; risks associated with interim data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from the clinical studies; whether and when drug or biologic license applications may be filed in any jurisdictions for sisunatovir, Pfizer’s investigational RSV vaccine or any other investigational products; whether and when any such applications may be approved by regulatory authorities, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the product’s benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product’s efficacy and, if approved, whether sisunatovir, Pfizer’s investigational RSV vaccine or any such other products will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of sisunatovir, Pfizer’s investigational RSV vaccine or any such other products; uncertainties regarding the ability to obtain recommendations from vaccine advisory or technical committees and other public health authorities regarding Pfizer’s investigational RSV vaccine and uncertainties regarding the commercial impact of any such recommendations; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19; and competitive developments.
A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results”, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com.
Category: Investments
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