Chiron rationalizes vaccines

Sometimes having a potentially approvable product doesn't pay. That is the decision Chiron Corp. made last week in tailoring its vaccines program to exploit its strengths and not waste resources on marketing efforts that are less likely to yield desired sales figures.

At the same time that it announced European Union approval of its Triacelluvax diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine for infants and toddlers, CHIR also withdrew its U.S. ELA for the vaccine (under the name Pertugen) for competitive reasons. CHIR (Emeryville, Calif.), which has been shedding programs in its ongoing effort to focus its pipeline, submitted the ELA in 1996...