Pharmaceutical Firms Forge Deal To Create, Sell Anti-Smoking Vaccine

London, England (AHN) - Pharmaceutical firms GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Nabi Biopharmaceuticals have entered into a $540 million exclusive licensing agreement to develop and market an anti-smoking vaccine.

Under the deal, GSK will pay an upfront fee of $40 million to in-license Nabi's NicVAX worldwide and use the latter's technology in developing its own anti-nicotine vaccine. GSK will pay Nabi $500 million more in option fees for NicVAX and similar vaccines developed .

The deal further provides Nabi with double-digit royalties on the global sale of NicVAX and other similar vaccines.

The NicVAX stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that bind to nicotine to prevent the addictive substance from entering the blood stream and reaching the brain. This prevents smokers from experiencing pleasure from smoking.

The NicVAX, which is being tested clinically, can also be effective in preventing smoking relapse.

Original News: Windsor Genova - AHN News Writer

Great American Smokeout 2009: will there be a vaccine against nicotine in the near future?

As part of the Great American Smokeout 2009, thousands of smokers will begin a healthier lifestyle by giving up smoking. Unfortunately, many smokers who quit eventually relapse and begin smoking again. But there may be a new nicotine vaccine in the near future that can help former smokers never return to the smoking habit.

Nabi Pharmaceuticals is testing a vaccine, NicVax, that can prevent nicotine from crossing into the brain and at the same time creates antibodies against nicotine. According to Nabi, ex-smokers who received the new vaccine were 3.5 times more likely to remain smoke-free after a year than ex-smokers who did not receive the vaccine. Since, according to Nabi, over 90% of smokers who quit relapse, this could be a tremendous aid for those who want to remain smoke-free.

The vaccine is in Phase III clinical trials, and the license for the vaccine plus rights to develop the next generation of nicotine vaccines have just been purchased by GlaxoSmithKline for $540 million.

For more information about the GSK vaccine deal, click here.

For information about NicVax and nicotine addiction, click here.

For more facts about smoking, click here.

Original News: Examiner

New Vaccine Could Lessen Chile’s Addiction To Cigarettes

The vaccine NicVax, which will be released towards the end of 2010, promotes the production of antibodies that attach themselves to nicotine particles within the body. Once this happens, the particles become too large to pass into the brain, which inhibits the release of dopamine- the neurohormone associated with feeling pleasure.

So far, trials have been carried out on people who smoke an average of 24 cigarettes each day and show a 50 percent success rate. This is twice the success rate found with prescription medications such as Champix.

“Nicotine patches and other medications replace nicotine with other substances,” said Jimmy Stehberg, a neurobiologist at Universidad Andrés Bello. “But this does not reduce the sensation of pleasure one gets from smoking… the (new) vaccine stops the nicotine from entering the brain, which reduces its addictive qualities.”

Chile’s leading tobacco sales company - Chiletabacos, an affiliate of British American Tobacco (BAT) – has a 98 percent market share of cigarette sales in the country. The company reports that sales this year have dropped to 12 billion cigarettes, down from 14 billion in 2008. The company also reports that consumers are now buying cheaper cigarettes such as Pall Malls (US$2 per pack).

While Pall Mall sales have risen by 32 percent in the recent years, sales of more expensive brands such as Belmont and Derby (US$2.60) have fallen by 50 percent since 2006.

Still, the economic downturn has not dampened the spirits of Chiletabacos general manager Benjamin Kemball, who hopes to maintain current production levels.

“We would like to increase our exports to other markets,” said Kemball. “Now we produce 20 billion cigarettes a year, 14 billion of which are sold locally and the rest is sold in the Southern Cone [Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay].” The company is currently looking into changing its name to British American Tobacco Chile.

In 2005 Chile's Free Market Defense Court (TDLC) sanctioned Chiletabacos for exploiting its market position and signing exclusivity contracts with distributors in order to control competition. And in 2006 the Supreme Court upheld the finding against Chiletabacos.

The company was hit again two weeks ago with a new case brought by the National Economic Regulator (FNE). The FNE accused the company of not adhering to the 2006 verdict and asked the TDLC to fine the company US$17 million.

On July 14 Philip Morris - the world’s largest tobacco company - sued Chiletabaco demanding US$137.5 million in compensation. Philip Morris represents 4 percent of the Chilean tobacco market and markets locally the tobacco blends Marlboro and L&M (ST, July 26).

Sources: LA TERCERA, EL MERCURIO
By Gida Homad-Hamam