QS-21

QS-21 represents one of the most widely tested vaccine adjuvants under development and has been licensed by industry leaders such as GlaxoSmithKline and Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy.¹ QS-21 has become a critical component in the development of investigational preventative vaccine formulations across a wide variety of infectious diseases, and appears to be essential for several investigational therapeutic vaccines intended to treat cancer and degenerative disorders. QS-21 is currently being evaluated in approximately 15 vaccine candidates.

Through commercial licenses with leading pharmaceutical companies, research collaborations with academic institutions worldwide and Antigenics’ own internal programs, QS-21–based vaccines have been evaluated (including in ongoing studies) in more than 50 different indications. To date, there have been over 40 Phase 2 trials conducted and three Phase 3 trials are ongoing in major indications.

Antigenics is generally the exclusive supplier of QS-21 to its commercial licensees and collaborators, with the exception of GSK and Janssen, who both have rights to manufacture their own commercial supply for use only in their own vaccines containing QS-21. Clinical development is entirely funded by licensees and Antigenics’ license and supply agreements generally entitle the company to royalties for 10 years after first commercial sale, independent of patent expiry, as well as milestones as products advance in the clinic and/or manufacturing technology is transferred. Antigenics’ expenses are generally reimbursed on a cost-plus basis.

Antigenics has also developed new product combinations to expand the scope of potential applications for QS-21. Antigenics’ licensees are further developing and exploiting these combinations in several vaccine products.

Antigenics makes QS-21 available to interested academic and corporate entities through material transfer or license agreements.

¹Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), has acquired substantially all of the assets and rights of Elan Corporation, the original licensee of QS-21 for use in neurodegenerative disease vaccines.