Takeda Subsidiary Lands HHS Contract to Develop, Test Zika Vaccine

A U.S. subsidiary of Takeda Group has received an initial $19.8 million contract from  the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and test a Zika virus vaccine over the next 18 months.

HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority will provide funds to help Takeda Vaccines complete process development and preclinical tests of the company’s vaccine candidate against the virus, HHS said Thursday.

Under the contract, Takeda Vaccines will also file an investigational new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration in order to start clinical human trials of the Zika vaccine next year.

“This partnership with Takeda is an example of our efforts to engage the private sector, including large pharmaceutical companies, to develop Zika vaccines and innovative diagnostic tests,” said Richard Hatchett, acting director of BARDA.

HHS added that BARDA could provide up to $311 million through 2022 to fund phase 2 and 3 trials as well as large-scale manufacturing of the company’s experimental vaccine if the phase 1 clinical trial succeeds.