Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Wall Street Journal - June 6, 2003
David P. Hamilton, Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
Howard Pien, named Chiron CEO in March, said that PowderJect is one of only two makers of flu vaccine approved to sell their products in the U.S.
PowderJect currently distributes its vaccine in the U.S. via a wholesaler, and will remain locked into that commitment in the upcoming flu season, Mr. Pien said. By next flu season, however, Chiron may be able to use the PowderJect vaccine to build its own sales and marketing capabilities for vaccines in the U.S.
Chiron, the fifth-largest vaccine maker in the world, announced its bid to acquire PowderJect last month (see article1). Because its vaccine business is the result of earlier acquisitions in Germany and Italy, Chiron, Emeryville, Calif., sells most of its vaccines in Europe and doesn't have a large presence in the U.S. vaccine market. By acquiring PowderJect's vaccine-related expertise, however, Chiron believes it can piggyback other vaccines into the U.S. market.
"We have not just the growth opportunity in the flu vaccine, but also now a platform on which to launch a commercial organization [for vaccines] in the U.S.," Dr. Pien said in an interview.
For instance, Chiron is currently working on several versions of a new pediatric vaccine for meningitis. By the end of the year, Chiron hopes it can submit the first such variation -- a vaccine for meningitis C -- to the Food and Drug Administration for approval. Its next goal will be a meningitis vaccine designed to protect against four strains of the virus.
Eventually, Chiron hopes to have a meningitis vaccine approved for "universal" use in childhood vaccination in the U.S.
Chiron also remains committed to its work in developing a vaccine candidate against HIV, the AIDS virus, Mr. Pien said. The company plans to enter that vaccine in early, so-called Phase I trials in humans, he said.
Mr. Pien, however, isn't particularly sanguine about its prospects, given dismal clinical from other AIDS vaccines, such as the recent dramatic failure of a vaccine candidate from VaxGen Inc.
"This may be one of the last candidates in the whole industry," he said.
"We have seen some spectacular failures [of other AIDS vaccines] recently.
We remain committed, not because we believe we can make money, but because we recognize that it is part of our responsibility as a health-care company."
Write to David P. Hamilton at david.hamilton@wsj.com
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