AstraZeneca buys partner Omniose for bacterial vaccine technology

AstraZeneca has acquired the preclinical biotechnology company Omniose to bolster its vaccine pipeline and incorporate specialized bacterial vaccine technology. According to Business Wire, the acquisition follows a productive three-year exclusive research collaboration between the two companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Omniose is now a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca and operates as part of the Infectious Disease Unit. Fierce Biotech reported that AstraZeneca bought its partner Omniose for its bacterial vaccine technology.

The acquisition brings Omniose's proprietary bioconjugation platform and expertise into AstraZeneca, supporting its preclinical vaccine programs. Conjugate vaccines are a form of immunization that traditionally require complex chemical processes to attach bacterial polysaccharides to engineered carrier proteins. Business Wire reported that Omniose's bioconjugation approach enables these components to be produced and linked within a single cell, offering a potentially simpler and more precise approach to conjugate vaccine development. The platform enables the precise enzymatic attachment of virtually any bacterial polysaccharide antigen to engineered carrier proteins within a single E. coli cell.

Christian Harding, CSO and co-founder of Omniose, stated that the milestone reflects the work of exceptional and complementary teams, adding that AstraZeneca has been a trusted partner for several years. Benjamin Moutier, senior vice president of infectious disease at AstraZeneca, stated that the platform represents a differentiated approach to engineering conjugate vaccines and strengthens the company's ability to develop novel vaccines against serious bacterial infections. Timothy Cooke, CEO of Omniose, noted that the organizations share a vision for bringing the best science and talent together to address serious bacterial infections, which are increasingly complicated by antimicrobial resistance according to Business Wire.