Vax supply issues crimp Glaxo profits; Antigenics' battered shares buoyed by herpes vax data

Vaccine Market

GlaxoSmithKline says that vaccine supply constraints contributed to its lackluster second-quarter financials. "The availability of vaccines started improving towards the end of the (April-June) quarter. We are hoping that going forward that issue will ease out," Senior Executive Director Mehernosh Kapadia told Dow Jones. Report

Merck struck a deal with Sinopharm to market its vaccines in China, a sign of the country's growing importance in the global pharma market. Story

MedImmune has begun shipping the first of 15 million doses of FluMist to influenza vaccine distributors who service health care providers throughout the United States. Release

The Netherlands has joined a lengthening list of countries destroying unused stockpiles of swine flu vaccine. The country is disposing of 17 million doses after using only 11 million doses. Report

Vaccine Research

Shares of Antigenics (AGEN) got some much-needed help after the developer reported that its vaccine/adjuvant combo to guard against genital herpes looked promising in a small, early-stage trial. Story

Immune Design has banked a $32 million venture round to finance the next stage of its planned developed of new and better vaccines. New investor ProQuest Investments jumped on board to lead the round, with the Column Group, Versant Ventures, and Alta Partners coming back to ante up for the Series B financing. In addition to its adjuvant work the startup is hatching plans to use its immune know-how to develop new therapeutic cancer vaccines. Story

Dynavax has started an early-stage human trial of its universal flu vaccine. Story

Dynavax also announced that it has promoted J. Tyler Martin to the newly-created position of president. Release

Scientists in the UK are studying a new nasal spray vaccine to guard against meningitis and pneumonia. Report