Joint venture to provide paediatric vaccines to China

A long-term joint venture between GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and China's Jiangsu Walvax Biotech Company hopes to develop and manufacture paediatric vaccines for use in China. The primary focus will be on vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), although other paediatric vaccines may also be developed.

In a press statement, GSK said it will transfer the technology to enable the joint venture to manufacture the vaccines locally. Additionally, a new manufacturing facility for GSK's MMR vaccine, Priorix, will be built to enable the joint venture to supply the vaccines to China's public vaccine market.

"This collaboration will allow Walvax and GSK to produce life-saving vaccines to help meet China's need for MMR vaccines," Liu Hong-Yan, Chairman of Walvax, said in the statement. "The joint venture will strengthen our vaccines R&D efforts and build our capacity to increase children's access to vaccines, one of the most cost-effective health interventions available."

In the press statement, GSk also added that the development expands the company's presence in China.

www.gsk.com