MedImmune Licenses Gene Method to Sanofi

U.S. vaccine maker MedImmune said Thursday it has licensed reverse genetics technology to Sanofi pasteur to use in its flu vaccines.

MedImmune said its gene technology is a method for generating viruses entirely from segments of DNA.

Sanofi pasteur will use the technology in vaccines for seasonal flu and the potentially pandemic bird flu.

Under the deal, MedImmune will receive an upfront payment and sales royalties on any resulting vaccines using the technology.

MedImmune’s gene process is useful for making flu vaccine because it doesn’t require manufacturers to work directly with whole — and often highly infectious — viruses, but rather with pieces of the virus’s genome, the company said.

MedImmune said it has already completed a phase 1 study of its own intranasal bird flu vaccine that incorporates the genetic technology.