GSK partners with Sanofi for coronavirus vaccine effort

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Two of the world’s biggest drug companies — Sanofi Pasteur and GSK — are combining forces to hopefully speed development of a vaccine for COVID-19.

The pharmaceutical giants say the experimental shot would be based on Sanofi’s flu vaccine and combine a booster from GSK that could help stretch doses of the vaccine further.

GSK CEO Emma Walmsley says they believe by combining the two companies’ scientific expertise and technology, they could accelerate efforts to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine.

“This collaboration brings two of the world’s largest vaccines companies together. By combining our science and our technologies, we believe we can help accelerate the global effort to develop a vaccine to protect as many people as possible from COVID-19,” she said in a statement.

There are dozens of efforts already under way elsewhere. Most experts predict it will take at least 12 to 18 months for a new vaccine to be produced.

“As the world faces this unprecedented global health crisis, it is clear that no one company can go it alone,” said Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi, “That is why Sanofi is continuing to complement its expertise and resources with our peers, such as GSK, with the goal to create and supply sufficient quantities of vaccines that will help stop this virus.”

Sanofi and GSK aim to start early clinical trials later this year and hope regulatory approval might be possible later next year.

GSK maintains significant operations in the Triangle and a manufacturing plant in Zebulon.

The company is making other efforts to develop coronavirus-related treatments.