Takeda set to acquire vaccine business in $35m deal

Takeda has revealed it will acquire a new vaccine business

Japanese pharmaceutical Takeda is on course to seal a $35 million deal for the privately-held biopharmaceutical business Inviragen, which has facilities across the US and Singapore.

Inviragen specialises in the research and development of vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, including dengue and hand, foot and mouth disease.  

This marks a further step in Takeda's journey to develop a global vaccine business, with executive vice-president and head of Takeda's vaccine business division, Rajeev Venkayya, commenting on the acquisition.

He said: "Today's announcement reinforces Takeda's commitment to develop innovative vaccines to fight some of the world's most important infectious diseases."

Dengue is among the World Health Organisation's future vaccine priorities, outlining the importance of developing vaccines in this area.

Estimates suggest as many as 400 million people across the globe contract the dengue virus every year, with around 20,000 - mostly children - dying from complications caused by the infection.