BioDiem, Merck deal

BioDiem regained from Merck's Nobilon International B.V. unit worldwide rights, excluding Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), to BioDiem's live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) technology. BioDiem said Merck returned rights as a result of the pharma's ongoing pipeline prioritization. Nobilon had exclusive, worldwide rights, excluding Russia, CIS and North America, from BioDiem and previously shared marketing rights to the technology in Japan under a 2004 deal, before BioDiem regained Japanese rights from Nobilon in 2009. BioDiem retained North America rights to LAIV. The St. Petersburg Institute of Experimental Medicine has rights in Russia and the CIS (see BioCentury, Dec. 6, 2004 & Jan. 4, 2010). ...