New company to develop vaccines in Fargo

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A new vaccine development company is setting up shop in Fargo.

Officials say Altravax might create 40 new jobs in the next five years.

Among those involved in the venture is Fargo-based entrepreneur Michael Chambers, who launched the vaccine development company Aldevron in 1998.

Altravax has acquired the vaccine component of Maxygen, a Redwood City, Calif.-based biotechnology company founded in 1997. Chambers says the new company initially will have seven employees in Fargo and Sunnyvale, Calif. — six of them former Maxygen vaccine team members.

Chambers says he expects Altravax to become closely associated with Aldevron and Cetero Research, formerly known as PRACS Institute, in Fargo.

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