Sanofi, the French laboratory, and the British GSK (GlaxoSmithKline PLC), announced yesterday their wish to join forces in research ” to develop an adjuvanted vaccine against Covid-19 “
The two giants of the pharmaceutical industry ” will combine their innovative technologies to develop an adjuvanted vaccine against Covid-19 ” ” Vaccine candidate should enter clinical trials by 2e semester 2020, and, if successful, be available in the second quarter of 2021 ”. Sanofi will take advantage of this collaboration “Its Covid-19 protein S antigen” while GSK will bring ” adjuvant vaccine production technology for pandemic use »: This combination is considered promising by the two laboratories.
The two labs say they are willing to collaborate with other states and international organizations to ensure priority access to the vaccine internationally.
The question of Chloroquine
Since the start of the coronavirus epidemic, Sanofi has been in the spotlight. Its drug, Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, presented promising results concerning Covid-19 last month, according to the conclusions of Didier Raoult, Professor of the IHU Mediterranean Infection of Marseille.
However, its use to treat Covid-19 patients has been the subject of controversy since tests on a larger scale are currently underway. To participate in the collective effort, the pharmaceutical group has also committed to deliver 100 million doses to about 50 states.
Rebound in Sanofi and GSK shares
Sanofi shares, impacted during the first half of March by breaks in the production chain, recovered part of their losses for the past month, up 12.6% over four rolling weeks. It closed Tuesday at € 82.65.
The GSK stock, listed on the London Stock Exchange, finished up 1.67% on Tuesday at 1,570 pence sterling, and 3.67% on the NYSE. The course of the title in recent weeks is relatively similar to that of Sanofi. After dropping out, the GSK share has been recovering for a month (+ 11.92%).
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