AVAN - AVANT Immunotherapeutics Inc. (AVAN)

[Klipper22]

Drug company that I've been watching to bottom. Thought today was going to be a bigger move, but not much on the news. Anyway, keeping it on watch.

AVANT Immunotherapeutics Inc.
119 Fourth Avenue
Needham, MA 02494-2725
United States - Map
Phone: 781-433-0771
Fax: 781-433-0262
Web Site: http://www.avantimmune.com

DETAILS
Index Membership: N/A
Sector: Healthcare
Industry: Diagnostic Substances
Full Time Employees: 86

BUSINESS SUMMARY
AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of vaccines that harness the human immune response system for the prevention and treatment of diseases. It develops various vaccines and immunotherapeutics addressing a range of applications, including bacterial and viral diseases, biodefense, food safety, and cardiovascular diseases. The company offers Rotarix for the treatment of rotavirus infection; Ty800 typhoid fever vaccine; and MeganVac 1 and MeganEgg vaccines for use in chickens for protection against multiple species and/or strains of Salmonella bacteria. AVANT Immunotherapeutics is also developing CholeraGarde for cholera; vaccines that address travelers' market, including vaccines against Enterotoxigenic E coli, Shigella, Salmonella paratyphi, and Campylobacter; oral Anthrax and Plague vaccines; TP10 for cardiac surgery; CETi for cholesterol management; and other food safety and animal health vaccines. The company has collaborative agreements with GlaxoSmithKline plc; Pfizer, Inc.; DVC LLC; Lohmann Animal Health International; and Select Vaccines Limited. AVANT Immunotherapeutics was founded in 1983 and is based in Needham, Massachusetts.

Transfer Agent
Computershare Investor Services LLC,
P.O. Box 43010
(150 Royall St. (Mail Stop 45-02-80)
Canton, MA 02021)
Providence, RI 02940-3010

Shares Outstanding: 74.18M
Float: 73.58M
% Held by Insiders: 0.67%
% Held by Institutions: 18.30%

http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=AVA...=3&a=114546455

[Klipper22]

This was the pr yesterday:

Application for Rotarix(R) by AVANT's Partner, GlaxoSmithKline, is Accepted for Review by the FDA
Tuesday August 14, 3:01 pm ET

NEEDHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAN - News) today announced that GlaxoSmithKline's Biologics License Application (BLA) for Rotarix®, an oral candidate vaccine for infants to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis, has been accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Severe, dehydrating gastroenteritis occurs primarily among children aged three to 35 months. Of children hospitalized with rotavirus, approximately 17 percent are younger than six months old. If approved, the GSK candidate vaccine could offer completion of the rotavirus vaccination series by four months of age. The rotavirus candidate vaccine is a live-attenuated vaccine derived from the most common human rotavirus strain. Published data show that immunity resulting from natural human rotavirus infection provides significant protection against moderate to severe disease, regardless of rotavirus strain.

The BLA for the GSK rotavirus candidate vaccine is based on one of the largest clinical development plans undertaken by a vaccine manufacturer and includes data from nearly 75,000 infants. These clinical trials were conducted in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa and reflect an ethnically diverse population.

"We are delighted that our partner GSK's application for Rotarix® has been accepted for review," said Una S. Ryan, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of AVANT Immunotherapeutics. "The FDA review marks a significant milestone towards the global commercialization of Rotarix®, which has already been approved for commercial use in over 90 countries worldwide, including the European Union."

About Rotarix®

Rotarix® is an oral, two-dose, live attenuated vaccine against rotavirus disease in infants that was licensed in 1997 by AVANT Immunotherapeutics to GSK for worldwide commercialization. The vaccine was originally developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Rotarix® is the first human rotavirus vaccine derived from a human virus strain available in the market. The vaccine, which is given orally, confers significant protection against rotavirus diarrhea. Clinical trials have shown high efficacy against the most prevalent rotavirus strains. It is given in a two-dose schedule beginning at six weeks of age, allowing for early protection.