Intercell says Merck begins S.aureus vaccine trial
VIENNA, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Austrian biotech firm Intercell (ICEL.VI) said on Thursday its partner Merck & Co (MRK.N) has started a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate a vaccine candidate against Staphylococcus aureus infections.
The vaccine candidate is based on a conserved protein antigen discovered by Intercell and licensed to Merck in 2004.
Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent cause of hospital-acquired infections, Intercell said in a statement.
This is the second trial start following a separate Phase II trial launch in December 2007.
Merck is responsible for clinical development, manufacturing and marketing of the vaccine. Intercell is eligible to receive milestone payments and royalties on future net sales. (Reporting by Karin Strohecker; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
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