Pfizer has announced its plans to acquire ReViral, a viral infection specialist. A private biopharma company, ReViral focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of antiviral therapeutics that are designed to target respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Pfizer will pay up to $525m, including upfront and development payments, to acquire ReViral, and believes annual revenue for these programmes could reach $1.5bn or more.
The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, will strengthen Pfizer’s R&D capabilities in infectious diseases and will also expand its anti-infective pipeline to address unmet needs of patients with RSV.
ReViral has a portfolio of promising therapeutic candidates, including sisunatovir, an orally administered inhibitor designed to block fusion of the RSV virus to the host cell.
RSV is a common and contagious respiratory condition, which can cause severe and life-threatening lower respiratory tract infections in vulnerable people, including infants, immunocompromised individuals and older adults. Approximately 64 million people become infected with RSV worldwide each year, resulting in around 160,000 deaths.
Sisunatovir significantly reduced viral load in a phase 2 RSV human challenge study in healthy adults and is currently in phase 2 clinical development in infants.
“At Pfizer, we have a strong heritage in, and commitment to, fighting infectious diseases, most recently evidenced by our delivery of the first authorised vaccine and oral therapy to combat COVID-19,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and chief executive officer at Pfizer.
He added: “We’re continuing to grow our pipeline through our own research-and-development efforts, such as our investigational RSV vaccine programmes, as well as strategic investments in companies like ReViral.”
Sisunatovir has been granted Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the development programme is expected to continue in both adult and paediatric populations.