(Adds context, other companies in Zika vaccine race)
By Dominique Vidalon and Ben Hirschler
PARIS/LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Sanofi SASY.PA has
launched a project to develop a vaccine against the Zika virus
in the most decisive commitment yet by a major vaccine producer
to fight the disease linked to multiple birth defects in Brazil.
The French drugmaker said on Tuesday its Sanofi Pasteur
vaccines division would use its expertise in developing vaccines
for similar viruses such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis
and, most recently, dengue.
The move comes a day after the World Health Organization
declared the mosquito-borne Zika virus to be an international
public health emergency due to its link to underdeveloped brains
in some babies.
Such emergency declarations are a way for the WHO to
mobilise resources and coordinate action to fight a disease, and
Director-General Margaret Chan said on Monday that one of the
priorities was to develop a vaccine as fast as possible.
"Sanofi Pasteur is responding to the global call to action
to develop a Zika vaccine given the disease's rapid spread and
possible medical complications," said Nicholas Jackson, research
head of Sanofi Pasteur, who is leading the new Zika vaccine
project.
Sanofi believes its established research and industrial
infrastructure for its newly licensed dengue vaccine can be
rapidly leveraged to help speed identification of a Zika vaccine
candidate.
So far, the only groups with firm plans to develop a Zika
vaccine are small biotech companies and academic institutions,
although GlaxoSmithKline GSK.L has said it is concluding
feasibility studies to evaluate if its vaccine technology is
suitable.
Currently, there is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, since
the disease, until recently, has not been seen a serious public
health concern.
Zika typically causes mild fevers and rashes and about 80
percent of those infected show no symptoms. But its link to
microcephaly, or small heads, and other neurological disorders
in newborns has catapulted it up the global health agenda.
The WHO last declared such a public health emergency for
Ebola.
Zika is closely related to dengue and is spread by the same
species of mosquito. It also has similar symptoms, including
fever, rash, joint swelling and headaches. Nonetheless,
developing a vaccine for Zika is a major undertaking, involving
much research and clinical trials.
The closest vaccine prospect so far may be from a consortium
including U.S. biotech company Inovio Pharmaceuticals INO.O ,
which could potentially have a vaccine ready for limited
emergency use before year-end, according to one of its lead
developers. by Simon Cameron-Moore and Jason Neely)