Latest news with #hMPV
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Bengaluru doctors warn against seasonal surge in respiratory infections, bird droppings
Bengaluru: Doctors in the city are witnessing a seasonal surge in respiratory infections, with influenza strains and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) more prevalent than RSV, which dominated two years earlier. This has led doctors to urge vulnerable groups to get vaccinated and follow respiratory hygiene. RSV is typically more severe in young children, while hMPV causes milder symptoms but can still pose a risk to vulnerable groups. These respiratory infections typically manifest as fever, cough, and breathing difficulty. Talking about the reduced cases of RSV this year, Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, chairman HOD & consultant - pulmonology sleep medicine & lung transplant physician, said, "Maybe it is an evolutionary thing. Two years ago, influenza was low and RSV was slightly higher. This year is predominantly influenza due to seasonal changes." You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Dr Mallikarjun, interventional pulmonologist & sleep medicine specialist, Hridhaan Speciality Clinics, JP Nagar, said, "These are common flu. We see them in both paediatric and adult cases. With a seasonal change and drop in temperatures, when one child gets infected, others also catch it." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kota: 1 Trick to Reduce Belly Fat? Home Fitness Hack Shop Now Undo The doctors emphasize these reported cases likely represent only a fraction of the actual infections in the city. "On a daily basis, we see three to four cases, but this is the tip of the iceberg. These patients are tested because they had comorbidities and low immunity," said Dr Mysore. Dr Pretesh Kiran of St Johns Hospital said older people, especially those known to be immune-compromised — those with chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes, are recommended flu shots largely. They have a higher chance of developing infection and more severe disease like pneumonia or bronchopneumonia, if not vaccinated. "It requires two weeks for the vaccination effect to set in antibodies. " Dos and Don'ts - Follow basic respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene - Wear a mask in crowded areas - Check your vitamin D levels - Consult your doctor for a flu shot Box Pigeon droppings a menace Following the Bombay high court ruling Wednesday asking the civic authority to penalise those feeding pigeons, observing health hazards, doctors in Bengaluru concurred. In his practice, Dr Mallikarjun observed patients came in with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, the first sign of allergy when in contact with bird faeces. "Some patients come in with worsening conditions — fibrosis in their lungs. If acute, they respond very well to steroids, and the impact on lungs is reversible. But chronic fibrosis has very few options." He explained the lung is like a sponge. Sometimes, there is a soft thickening, which is partially fibrotic lung and the impact can be reversed. But when the thickening is hard, a transplant becomes the ultimate option. Bird droppings are among the top five reasons for hypersensitivity pneumonitis, besides viral infection, pollen, mould, and house dust mite. Dr Vinod K Ramani, consultant, preventive oncology, Sammprada Multi-speciality Hospital, explained, "Once you have many pigeons, the quantum of that faeces increases, so do the allergens from it. When a person inhales those allergens, fibrotic changes can take place in the lungs, reducing the capacity of the organ." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Billion euro deal: Sanofi buys UK biotech company to expand respiratory vaccine portfolio
In the race to develop next-generation respiratory virus vaccines, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi has agreed to buy Vicebio Ltd., a privately-held biotechnology company headquartered in London, UK. Sanofi said there will be an initial cash payment of $1.15bn (€980 million) for the deal, 'with potential milestone payments of up to $450 million based on development and regulatory achievements'. 'We are excited to join Sanofi', said Emmanuel Hanon, Chief Executive Officer at Vicebio, in a statement. 'Their global scale and deep expertise in vaccine development provide the ideal environment to fully realise the potential of our innovative technology." With the acquisition, Sanofi gets Vicebio's early-stage combination vaccine candidate for two respiratory viruses, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Respiratory infections, affecting millions globally, often appear as cold-like illnesses that could, in severe cases, lead to pneumonia. In respiratory medication, Sanofi already has several vaccines in its portfolio against flu and RSV prevention; this latest acquisition adds a non-mRNA vaccine to its pipeline. mRNA technology is relatively new for vaccines. It teaches the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response to protect against a specific virus, instead of using a weakened or inactivated germ to trigger this reaction. With the current deal, Sanofi also gets access to Vicebio's Molecular Clamp technology, which stabilises viral proteins in their native shape, triggering a more effective immune response. This technology is expected to speed up vaccine development and simplify manufacturing and distribution. Related EU pharma chief calls for European Nasdaq to boost biotech innovation Doliprane-maker Sanofi confirms exclusive talks with US firm CD&R 'This acquisition furthers Sanofi's dedication to vaccine innovation with the potential to develop next-generation combination vaccines that could provide protection to older adults against multiple respiratory viruses with a single immunisation," said Jean-François Toussaint, global head of research and development vaccines at Sanofi. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, and will not have a significant impact on Sanofi's financial guidance for 2025. The pharma giant's share price was down around 0.4% before 11:00 CEST in Paris.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sanofi Expands Respiratory Vaccine Portfolio With UK Biotech Buy
Sanofi SA (NASDAQ:SNY) on Tuesday agreed to acquire Vicebio Ltd, a privately held biotechnology company headquartered in London, U.K. The acquisition brings an early-stage combination vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), both respiratory viruses, and expands the capabilities in vaccine design and development with Vicebio's 'Molecular Clamp' technology. The vaccine candidate complements Sanofi's position in the respiratory vaccines space, where the company is present in flu and RSV prevention. It allows Sanofi to offer increased physician and patient choice in RSV and hMPV by adding a non-mRNA vaccine to its acquisition also adds 'Molecular Clamp,' a technology stabilizing viral proteins in their native shape, enabling the immune system to recognize and respond to them more effectively. The approach enables quicker development of fully liquid combination vaccines stored at standard refrigeration temperatures (2–8°C), eliminating the need for freezing or freeze-drying, thereby simplifying manufacturing and distribution. Furthermore, fully liquid vaccines can be made available in prefilled syringes, enhancing ease of use, safety, and operational efficiency across healthcare settings. Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi would acquire all of Vicebio's share capital for a total upfront payment of $1.15 billion, with potential milestone payments of up to $450 million based on development and regulatory achievements. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. The acquisition will not have a significant impact on Sanofi's financial guidance for 2025. Vicebio's pipeline includes VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine candidate targeting RSV and hMPV, currently in an exploratory phase 1 study in older adults, and VXB-251, a preclinical trivalent vaccine candidate targeting RSV, hMPV, and parainfluenza virus Type 3 (PIV3). This acquisition reinforces Sanofi's commitment to innovation in respiratory vaccines. In June, Sanofi said it is shipping Beyfortus (nirsevimab) starting in early Q3 to ensure broad availability well ahead of the 2025-2026 RSV season, which typically starts in November and runs through March. Sanofi, in collaboration with its partner AstraZeneca plc (NASDAQ:AZN), has tripled production capacity and doubled the number of manufacturing sites since the launch of Beyfortus in 2023. This acquisition follows another significant move by Sanofi in June 2025, when it agreed to acquire Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ:BPMC) for approximately $9.1 billion. That acquisition included Ayvakit/Ayvakyt (avapritinib), a rare immunology disease medicine approved in the U.S. and the EU, along with a promising advanced and early-stage immunology pipeline. Price Action: SNY stock is trading higher by 1.42% to $48.61 at last check Tuesday. Read Next:Photo by HJBC via Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? SANOFI (SNY): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Sanofi Expands Respiratory Vaccine Portfolio With UK Biotech Buy originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Euronews
22-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Sanofi buys UK's Vicebio for over €1bn to expand vaccine portfolio
In the race to develop next-generation respiratory virus vaccines, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi has agreed to buy Vicebio Ltd., a privately-held biotechnology company headquartered in London, UK. Sanofi said there will be an initial cash payment of $1.15bn (€980 million) for the deal, 'with potential milestone payments of up to $450 million based on development and regulatory achievements'. 'We are excited to join Sanofi', said Emmanuel Hanon, Chief Executive Officer at Vicebio, in a statement. 'Their global scale and deep expertise in vaccine development provide the ideal environment to fully realise the potential of our innovative technology." With the acquisition, Sanofi gets Vicebio's early-stage combination vaccine candidate for two respiratory viruses, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Respiratory infections, affecting millions globally, often appear as cold-like illnesses that could, in severe cases, lead to pneumonia. In respiratory medication, Sanofi already has several vaccines in its portfolio against flu and RSV prevention; this latest acquisition adds a non-mRNA vaccine to its pipeline. mRNA technology is relatively new for vaccines. It teaches the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response to protect against a specific virus, instead of using a weakened or inactivated germ to trigger this reaction. With the current deal, Sanofi also gets access to Vicebio's Molecular Clamp technology, which stabilises viral proteins in their native shape, triggering a more effective immune response. This technology is expected to speed up vaccine development and simplify manufacturing and distribution. 'This acquisition furthers Sanofi's dedication to vaccine innovation with the potential to develop next-generation combination vaccines that could provide protection to older adults against multiple respiratory viruses with a single immunisation," said Jean-François Toussaint, global head of research and development vaccines at Sanofi. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, and will not have a significant impact on Sanofi's financial guidance for 2025. The pharma giant's share price was down around 0.4% before 11:00 CEST in Paris.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Press Release: Sanofi to acquire Vicebio, expanding respiratory vaccines pipeline
Sanofi to acquire Vicebio, expanding respiratory vaccines pipeline Paris, July 22, 2025. Sanofi today announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Vicebio Ltd ('Vicebio'), a privately held biotechnology company headquartered in London, UK. The acquisition brings an early-stage combination vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), both respiratory viruses, and expands the capabilities in vaccine design and development with Vicebio's 'Molecular Clamp' technology. The vaccine candidate complements Sanofi's position in the respiratory vaccines space where the company is present in flu and RSV prevention. It allows Sanofi to offer increased physician and patient choice in RSV and hMPV by adding a non-mRNA vaccine to its pipeline. In addition, the acquisition adds 'Molecular Clamp', an innovative technology that stabilizes viral proteins in their native shape, enabling the immune system to recognize and respond to them more effectively. This approach enables quicker development of fully liquid combination vaccines that can be stored at standard refrigeration temperatures (2–8°C), eliminating the need for freezing or freeze-drying, thereby simplifying manufacturing and distribution. Furthermore, fully liquid vaccines can be made available in prefilled syringes, enhancing ease of use, safety, and operational efficiency across healthcare settings. "Vicebio's 'Molecular Clamp' technology introduces a purposefully simple but thoughtful approach to further improve vaccine designs at a time when respiratory viral infections continue to impact millions globally', said Jean-François Toussaint, Global Head of Research and Development Vaccines at Sanofi. 'This acquisition furthers Sanofi's dedication to vaccine innovation with the potential to develop next-generation combination vaccines that could provide protection to older adults against multiple respiratory viruses with a single immunization." 'We are excited to join Sanofi', said Emmanuel Hanon, Chief Executive Officer at Vicebio. 'Their global scale and deep expertise in vaccine development provide the ideal environment to fully realize the potential of our innovative technology. As part of the Sanofi team, we look forward to advancing our platform and pipeline to deliver meaningful benefits for patients and public health.' Vicebio's pipeline includes VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine candidate targeting RSV and hMPV, currently in an exploratory phase 1 study in older adults, and VXB-251, a preclinical trivalent vaccine candidate targeting RSV, hMPV and parainfluenza virus Type 3 (PIV3). RSV, HMPV and PIV3 are leading causes of lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia. While often causing overlapping symptoms such as cough, fever, and respiratory distress, these viruses are antigenically distinct, frequently co-circulating and contributing to seasonal surges in respiratory illness that can lead to older adult frailty, hospitalization and, in some cases, death. Financial considerations Under the terms of the agreement, Sanofi would acquire all of Vicebio's share capital for a total upfront payment of $1,15 billion, with potential milestone payments of up to $450 million based on development and regulatory achievements. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. The acquisition will not have a significant impact on Sanofi's financial guidance for 2025. About Sanofi Sanofi is an R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company committed to improving people's lives and delivering compelling growth. We apply our deep understanding of the immune system to invent medicines and vaccines that treat and protect millions of people around the world, with an innovative pipeline that could benefit millions more. Our team is guided by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives; this inspires us to drive progress and deliver positive impact for our people and the communities we serve, by addressing the most urgent healthcare, environmental, and societal challenges of our time. Sanofi is listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY About Vicebio Vicebio is focused on developing next-generation respiratory virus vaccines using the Molecular Clamp Technology. The company was founded with investment from Medicxi and acquired the rights to the Molecular Clamp technology through a license from UniQuest, the commercialization arm of The University of Queensland, Australia. This proprietary technology was developed by Prof. Paul Young, Prof. Daniel Watterson, and Prof. Keith Chappell at UQ. For more information, please visit: Sanofi Media RelationsSandrine Guendoul | +33 6 25 09 14 25 | Evan Berland | +1 215 432 0234 | Le Bourhis | +33 6 75 06 43 81 | Rouault | +33 6 70 93 71 40 | Timothy Gilbert | +1 516 521 2929 | Léa Ubaldi | +33 6 30 19 66 46 | Sanofi Investor RelationsThomas Kudsk Larsen | +44 7545 513 693 | Kaisserian | +33 6 47 04 12 11 | Felix Lauscher | +1 908 612 7239 | Browne | +1 781 249 1766 | Nathalie Pham | +33 7 85 93 30 17 | Tarik Elgoutni | +1 617 710 3587 | Châtelet | +33 6 80 80 89 90 | Yun Li | +33 6 84 00 90 72 | Sanofi forward-looking statementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions, and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words 'expects', 'anticipates', 'believes', 'intends', 'estimates', 'plans' and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Sanofi's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, risks associated with intellectual property and any related pending or future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, volatile economic and market conditions, cost containment initiatives and subsequent changes thereto, and the impact that global crises may have on us, our customers, suppliers, vendors, and other business partners, and the financial condition of any one of them, as well as on our employees and on the global economy as a whole. The risks and uncertainties also include the uncertainties discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under 'Risk Factors' and 'Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements' in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. Attachment Press_ReleaseError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
