Work begins on new pneumococcus vaccine

A new vaccine targeting pneumococcal disease, a serious infection that can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis, will be developed by Astellas Pharma Inc., after it signed a licensing agreement for the unique vaccine technology of medical research firm Affinax, Astellas Pharma said.

The exclusive worldwide license agreement allows Astellas to utilize Affinax’s proprietary vaccine technology platform, called the Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPS), to develop and commercialize a vaccine targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).