VaxGen

VaxGen is an American biopharmaceutical company based in South San Francisco, California. The company was founded in 1995 and is primarily known for its efforts in developing a vaccine for HIV and Anthrax.

History

VaxGen was founded in 1995 by a group of scientists who had previously worked on the development of a vaccine for HIV at Genentech. The company was initially funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and later went public in 1999.

HIV Vaccine Development

VaxGen's initial focus was on the development of a vaccine for HIV. The company's vaccine, known as AIDSVAX, was the first HIV vaccine to undergo large-scale, phase 3 clinical trials. However, the trials, which were conducted in North America, Europe, and Thailand, failed to demonstrate efficacy in preventing HIV infection or in reducing viral load in individuals who became infected with HIV during the trial.

Anthrax Vaccine Development

Following the failure of AIDSVAX, VaxGen shifted its focus to the development of a vaccine for anthrax. The company was awarded a $877.5 million contract by the U.S. government to produce 75 million doses of an anthrax vaccine. However, the contract was terminated in 2006 after VaxGen failed to meet a deadline for starting a clinical trial of the vaccine.

Financial Difficulties and Restructuring

VaxGen faced significant financial difficulties following the termination of its anthrax vaccine contract. The company laid off a significant portion of its workforce and underwent a series of restructuring efforts. In 2010, VaxGen merged with DiaMedica, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, and the combined company was renamed Soligenix, Inc.

See Also

• Biopharmaceutical
• Vaccine development
• HIV/AIDS
• Anthrax