Dive Brief:
- Novavax Inc. has unveiled mid-stage trial data on a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, suggesting that the company's treatment could become the first-ever vaccine for RSV.
- The extremely common virus causes cold-like symptoms in most of those infected, but can be fatal in patients with compromised immune systems.
- Analysts believe a proven vaccine could represent a $2 billion opportunity.
Dive Insight:
Almost every child under 2 gets the virus at some point, but it has proven to be a frustratingly difficult virus to fight. It also kills an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 elderly Americans a year.
Other biotech and pharma companies have gotten to this point and gotten back disappointing data, but Novavax is confident it can break through. Novavax CEO Stanley Erck told Reuters it could be "the largest selling vaccine in the history of vaccines in terms of revenue."
Mid-stage trial data released on Monday showed the vaccine's efficacy when compared to other respiratory vaccines. Novavax plans to launch a large-scale U.S. trial of the vaccine later this year.