Dynavax Technologies [1] and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics are teaming up on an effort to develop a new universal flu vaccine. Novartis Vaccines, which includes the old Chiron ops it bought out [2], will provide a trivalent flu vaccine to Dynavax for use in the universal vaccine in exchange for an exclusive option to negotiate a licensing deal. No financial details were divulged in their announcement.

Vaccine makers have been scrambling to come up with a universal flu vaccine that can defend against a variety of flu strains. Every year health officials target three strains--a guessing game that often misses the mark. A universal vaccine would help remove some of that guesswork and do a much better job at protecting populations

- read the report [3] from the San Francisco Business Times

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