Ragweed Announcement Is Immaterial; But The EU Hexyon 6-in-1 Vaccine Could Be Big

It will be a few months yet, in all likelihood, before the full EMEA's governing commission votes to approve Hexyon^TM in the EU, but that will almost certainly lead to a multi-billion dollar product, in the year after it occurs.

Why? Because at the moment Glaxo has a monopoly in the EU -- on such childrens' vaccines.

Merck will receive a portion of that multi-billion euro stream, via its JV with Sanofi Pasteur on these vaccines, in Europe.

That is Whitehouse Station's big news for a snowy Friday, here in the colonies -- per Bloomberg:

. . . .Sanofi’s new vaccine will compete with Glaxo’s Infanrix Hexa, one of several Infanrix products sold by the U.K. competitor. Infanrix garnered 775 million pounds ($1.2 billion) in total worldwide sales last year. The EMA had in 2005 suspended the marketing authorization for Hexavac, a previous Sanofi version of such a shot, over doubts on the protection provided by its hepatitis B component.

“Right now, Glaxo has a monopoly in this area,” Eric Le Berrigaud, an analyst at Bryan Garnier & Co. in Paris, said in a telephone interview before the CHMP opinion was announced. . . .

It would seem that Sanofi and Merck are well-positioned here -- as we all know the EU is even more price sensitive on these single-payer funded vaccine contracts, than here in the US. I'd look for some serious competition, to emerge against Infanrix Hexa^TM (the GSK offering) now. As ever -- we will keep you informed.