Merck (MSD) has joined the race to develop vaccines and treatments against Covid-19 with separate agreements with Themis, IAVI and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.
Merck has signed a definitive agreement to acquire, through a subsidiary, Themis for an undisclosed amount. Themis is focused on developing vaccine candidates and immune-modulatory therapies using its measles virus vector platform.
The platform is based on a vector developed by Institut Pasteur scientists. In March, Themis became part of a consortium involving the Institut Pasteur and The Center for Vaccine Research at the University of Pittsburgh to develop a Covid-19 vaccine candidate.