Evaxion Biotech A/S saw its shares surge more than 27% Thursday after announcing that Merck & Co. has exercised its option to license the Danish biotech's vaccine candidate EVX-B3. The Nasdaq-listed stock climbed to $4.20, gaining $0.79 from its previous close of $3.30, with trading volume spiking to 71.4 million shares—far exceeding its average volume of approximately 92,000 shares.

The licensing agreement includes a $7.5 million upfront payment to Evaxion, with potential development, regulatory and sales milestone payments reaching up to $592 million. Merck, known as MSD outside the United States, will also pay royalties on net sales and assume full responsibility for all future development costs of the preclinical vaccine candidate. The deal extends Evaxion's cash runway into the first half of 2027.

EVX-B3 targets an undisclosed pathogen associated with repeated infections, increasing incidence and serious medical complications. Both companies have maintained secrecy around the specific disease target, noting only that no vaccines currently exist for the condition. The candidate was discovered using Evaxion's AI-Immunology platform, which identifies novel targets that might otherwise remain undiscovered.

The collaboration represents a significant validation of Evaxion's technology platform, according to company executives. "This has significant financial value for us, but equally important is the massive validation of our AI-Immunology platform by MSD, the world leader in vaccine development and commercialization," said Birgitte Rønø, Evaxion's chief scientific officer and interim CEO. The companies have also extended the evaluation period for another vaccine candidate, EVX-B2, which targets gonorrhea, with a licensing decision expected in the first half of 2026.

Oslo police have issued a stark warning to parents about the dangers of encrypted messaging applications on children's phones, stating there is "no reason" for minors to use such services. During a digital parenting meeting streamed online Sunday afternoon, authorities highlighted how platforms including Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp, and Zangi are being exploited by criminal networks to recruit young people for serious offenses.

Section leader Astri Johanne Holm of Oslo East's local police station emphasized that adults have been "too naive" about children's online activities. "Be interested in what your child is doing on social platforms," Holm advised parents. "There's no reason for a child or youth to walk around with an encrypted app on their phone." The warning comes amid growing concerns about criminal groups targeting vulnerable minors through digital channels.

Recent police operations have resulted in multiple arrests of underage individuals across Norway, with cases linked to criminal networks including Sweden's Foxtrot network. Authorities report that children as young as eleven are being recruited for criminal activities. Holm noted that while many people use encrypted apps legally to protect privacy, criminals exploit these platforms to avoid scrutiny from both police and parents.

The digital parenting event attracted significant public interest, with between 5,000 and 10,000 people following the broadcast across Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Discord platforms. During the session, parents submitted over 200 questions about monitoring children's online activity without violating their privacy. Police recommended maintaining open dialogue and curiosity about children's apps and interests as the best prevention strategy, while also implementing broader measures including collaboration with child protection services and schools.