Apollon, American Home Products deal

AHP's Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories division and Apollon will exclusively develop DNA-based vaccines to prevent and treat HIV, herpes simplex virus, and human papilloma virus. Apollon will manufacture products that Wyeth-Ayerst will sell worldwide. R&D payments to Apollon including milestones could exceed $100 million.

The HIV vaccine, Genevax-HIV, is in Phase I/II trials. The Genevax product line uses the Malvern, Penn., company's facilitated DNA injection technology, which combines chemical and genetic substances into a product for direct injection (see BioCentury Oct. 23). ...