Dynavax Secures Licensing Deal for Vaxart's Oral COVID-19 Vaccine Initiative
Collaboration Agreement: Dynavax Technologies and Vaxart have entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement for Vaxart's investigational oral COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which features a novel delivery method.
Vaccine Mechanism and Benefits: The oral vaccine aims to induce mucosal immunity, potentially reducing infection and transmission, while improving patient acceptance and simplifying distribution without cold chain requirements.
Financial Terms: Dynavax will pay Vaxart an upfront license fee of $25 million and make a $5 million equity investment, gaining exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the oral COVID-19 vaccine.
Clinical Development Responsibilities: Vaxart will manage the oral vaccine program through the ongoing Phase 2b clinical trial, after which Dynavax can choose to take over future development, with additional payments contingent on this decision.
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Ocular Therapeutix Rejects Sanofi's Bid, Stock Surges 13%
- Acquisition Proposal: Ocular Therapeutix rejected Sanofi's initial takeover bid of $16 per share in September, which represented a significant premium over its then-trading price of approximately $10.50, indicating Sanofi's interest in expanding its ophthalmology footprint.
- Market Reaction: Following the acquisition news, Ocular Therapeutix's stock surged 13% in premarket trading, reflecting investor optimism regarding the potential acquisition, while OCUL shares have gained about 34% over the past year.
- Strategic Implications: If the acquisition goes through, it would bolster Sanofi's market position in ophthalmology, particularly in age-related macular degeneration treatments, and could support the development of combination therapies by integrating Ocular's existing drugs with Sanofi's portfolio.
- Acquisition Trend: Sanofi has ramped up its acquisition strategy recently, acquiring Dynavax for $2.2 billion and Blueprint Medicines for $9.1 billion, aiming to enhance its vaccine and rare disease treatment offerings.

Dynavax (DVAX) Shares Rise 1.9% as New Bidder Emerges Post-Sanofi Deal
- New Bidder Emergence: Following the agreement with Sanofi for a $2.2 billion acquisition, Dynavax (DVAX) shares rose 1.9%, indicating market interest in potential competing bids that could affect the final deal outcome.
- Acquisition Details: Sanofi agreed to acquire Dynavax at $15.50 per share, representing a 39% premium over the closing price on December 23, reflecting market confidence in the transaction and expectations for Dynavax's future value.
- Competitive Interest: On December 28, an unidentified 'Party A' expressed continued interest in Dynavax and sent an unsolicited email to CEO Spencer, highlighting ongoing market interest and potential acquisition competition.
- Management Response: According to a proxy filing, Spencer did not respond to 'Party A's' email and informed the Board, a move that could influence the negotiation process and strategic direction for Dynavax.









