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Sanofi has agreed to acquire vaccine manufacturer Dynavax Technologies for $2.2 billion in an ongoing effort to bolster its pipeline of medicines and vaccines, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.
- Maryland: FDA last month approved two new antibiotics to treat gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease that has grown increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatment over time. According to CDC data, there were almost 600,000 U.S. cases of gonorrhea last year. Because gonorrhea doesn't always cause symptoms, it can spread easily between people. Some symptoms of gonorrhea include joint pain and burning urination, and if left untreated, can cause infertility and sterility, blindness in infants, and even death. The two antibiotics approved for gonorrhea were zoliflodacin, a new treatment, and gepotidacin, an antibiotic previously approved for urinary tract infections in women. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the approvals arrived at a critical moment, as antibiotic resistance to gonorrhea continues to grow. "These drugs are not just for treating infections," Adalja said. "They make chemotherapy safe, and make it possible for people to get artificial hips and joints. People don't appreciate how much the control of infectious disease affects the entire practice of modern medicine." (Jacobs, New York Times, 12/12/25)
- Massachusetts: Moderna last month announced it is receiving up to $54.3 million in funding for its potential bird flu mRNA vaccine from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global vaccine partnership. Previously, the Biden administration awarded Moderna a $590 million contract to develop a bird flu vaccine, but HHS under the Trump administration later canceled the contract. The new funding from CEPI will help Moderna continue its development of a bird flu vaccine. "We are proud to have the support of CEPI to advance our pandemic influenza vaccine candidate, research that is critical to our commitment to pandemic preparedness. mRNA technology can play a vital role in addressing emerging health threats quickly and effectively, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with CEPI as we advance our health security portfolio, and in parallel, further the 100 Days Mission," said Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel. (Choi, The Hill, 12/18/25)
- New Jersey: Sanofi has agreed to acquire vaccine manufacturer Dynavax Technologies for $2.2 billion. In 2025, Sanofi acquired five different companies, including immunology biotechnology company Blueprint Medicines for up to $9.5 billion. According to the Wall Street Journal, Sanofi turned to acquisitions to bolster its pipeline of medicines and vaccines after some of its experimental drugs missed their goals in clinical studies or were rejected by regulators. The company's acquisition of Dynavax will allow it to access a hepatitis B vaccine approved in the United States, a candidate for a shingles vaccine currently in early and mid-stage clinical trials, and other projects in development. "Joining Sanofi will provide the global scale and expertise needed to maximize the impact of our vaccine portfolio," said Dynavax CEO Ryan Spencer. "We believe Sanofi's commercial reach, development capabilities, and commitment to evidence-based immunization will amplify the opportunity for Heplisav-B and our innovative pipeline to address important public health needs, further advancing our mission to help protect the world against infectious disease." The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. (Calatayud, Wall Street Journal, 12/24/25; Kansteiner, Fierce Pharma, 12/29/25)
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