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The Adjuvant market

Adjuvant products are developed in accordance with specifications similar to those that apply to drugs (see Guideline on vaccine adjuvants for human use, EMEA / CHMP). However, Adjuvants are not considered as a separate entity, but as components of a specific vaccine. It is therefore impossible to separate the adjuvant and vaccine markets. 

Requirements for adjuvants in vaccines under development

Approximately 70 Vaccine targets exist around the world.

The more accessible vaccines have existed for some time: 25 have been developed, more than 40 remain. The latter are more difficult to address, and will often only be achieved with the help of an Adjuvant. Adjuvants are defined as substances added to a vaccine that enhance the immune response to an antigen.

Furthermore, due to the insufficient immunogenicity of novel split- and subunit vaccines, improved adjuvants are urgently needed to maximize vaccine efficacy and develop vaccines against challenging pathogens

Competitive position granted by access to best adjuvants

The development of new vaccines increasingly requires the integration of adjuvants. Aluminum salts have been used as adjuvants since the 1930s and are still the most widely used, despite being far from the ideal. The properties that define the "ideal adjuvant" are well established. Some are essential, such as toxicity criteria, others are useful, such as stability at room temperature. The properties that define a good adjuvant are given here. The vaccine market is dominated by five major companies, which supply 90% of vaccines (Merck, Sanofi-Pasteur, GSK, Pfizer, and Novartis) . From 2000 to 2015, the vaccine market is being transformed from a “low investment /low margin” market to a Pharma-like Business model. Now, vaccines have blockbuster potential, attracting significant pharma attention for investments and M&A.



Boosting innovation for increased vaccine revenues

Antigen discovery is highly developed, and with a few exceptions, is no longer the major rate-limiting step in vaccine development. Delivery of the antigen and appropriate manipulation of the immune response are the now critical factors in new vaccine development. Commercial advantages can be gained by access to the best adjuvant/delivery technologies.