Agenus (AGEN) announced on Thursday that a shingles vaccine being developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and using a proprietary adjuvant licensed from AGEN, was succesful in a phase 3 trial. AGEN climbed 13% in early trading, not because this single vaccine product will be particularly lucrative for Agenus, but because the company has out-licensed QS-21 for at least 19 other vaccine programs and this is further validation that the adjuvant could be an incremental source of non-dilutive capital for the company.
[Worth noting, AGEN has a tendency to fade big moves on small data points.]
GSK reported that the ZOE-50 phase 3 study met its primary endpoint, with HZ/su reducing the risk of shingles by 97.2% in adults 50 years and older compared to placebo. HZ/su combines gE, a protein found on the varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles, with GSK’s AS01B, which is intended to stimulate a stronger immunological response. Agenus’ QS-21 Stimulon adjuvant is a component of AS01, and Agenus is entitled to a low single-digit royalty on sales of the vaccine, if/when commercialized.
Earlier this year, GSK submitted to European regulators an application for the malaria vaccine candidate, RTS,S, which also contains Agenus’ QS-21 Stimulon. The MAGE-A3ii cancer immunotherapy trial in non-small cell lung cancer from GSK, which also contains the QS-21 adjuvant, did not meet its primary endpoint in March of this year.
Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) company, uses Agenus’ adjuvant in a number of vaccine candidates as well.
One or more of PropThink’s contributors have a position in GSK or JNJ.
