AP/News-Observer examines state of vaccine research

Nov 23 2009

The Associated Press/News-Observer examines revitalized vaccine research, including for such conditions as malaria, TB and HIV. "Vaccines are no longer a sleepy, low-profit niche in a booming drug industry. Today, they're starting to give ailing pharmaceutical makers a shot in the arm," according to the article. The AP/News-Observer looks at specific company focal points and vaccine sales forecasts as well as how "[t]he lure of big profits, advances in technology and growing government support has been drawing in new companies, from nascent biotechs to Johnson & Johnson" to vaccines.

Emilio Emini, Pfizer's head of vaccine research, said, "Even if a small portion of everything that's going on now is successful in the next 10 years, you put that together with the last 10 years [and] it's going to be characterized as a golden era."

According to AP/News-Observer, "many companies are partnering with promising biotechs, the World Health Organization and global charities, or setting up deals with local drugmakers abroad, to inexpensively manufacture vaccines in developing and middle-tier countries that increasingly want them to prevent much-higher health care costs" (Johnson, 11/20).