AstraZeneca Signs Covid Deal with U.S. Defense, Medical Agencies

AstraZeneca Plc advanced on another front in the Covid-19 battle, signing a deal with two U.S. government agencies and Vanderbilt University to develop antibodies that could both prevent and treat the disease.

The U.K.’s biggest drugmaker licensed two immune proteins from Vanderbilt and signed an agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop and conduct an early clinical trial, according to a statement Tuesday. If successful, the antibodies could serve as an alternative to vaccinations in some cases.

AstraZeneca, based in Cambridge, England, has been at the forefront of attempts to quell the coronavirus pandemic. The company is co-developing one of the fastest-moving experimental Covid-19 vaccines with the University of Oxford while working on a number of treatments.

WATCH: AstraZeneca Plc secured a deal with two U.S. government agencies and Vanderbilt University to create antibodies to be used to treat and prevent Covid-19.

Markets: European Close.” (Source: Bloomberg)

It’s also been linked to another virus front-runner -- Gilead Sciences Inc., maker of the only drug shown to fight the virus in robust trials -- with Astra approaching the Foster City, California-based company in May about a possible merger, according to people with knowledge of the talks. The companies aren’t in formal discussions, according to the people.

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Suzi Ring in London at sring5@bloomberg.net

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Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net

John Lauerman, Anne Pollak

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