[September 16, 2014] |
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Vaxxas Initiates Research Project on Advancing Next Generation Technology for Polio Vaccine Delivery
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & BRISBANE, Queensland --(Business Wire)--
Vaxxas, a biotechnology company commercializing a novel vaccine delivery
platform, today announced the initiation of a research project to
evaluate Vaxxas' proprietary Nanopatch™ platform for delivery of polio
vaccine. The Nanopatch induces robust immune system activation by
targeting vaccine to the abundant immunological cells immediately below
the surface of the skin.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will provide funding to Vaxxas to
support its polio vaccination research, specifically for pre-clinical
studies and good manufacturing practices (GMP). Following the successful
completion of this research, and all subsequent necessary clinical
development and regulatory approvals, Vaxxas would have the opportunity
to supply Nanopatches to help secure a lasting polio-free world.
Polio was one of the most dreaded childhood diseases of the 20th
century, resulting in limb disfigurement and irreversible paralysis in
tens of millions of cases. As recently as 1988, more than 350,000 cases
occurred every year in more than 125 endemic countries. Concerted
efforts to eradicate the disease have reduced incidence by more than
99%, and efforts are being intensified to eradicate the remaining
strains of transmission onc and for all.
"The Nanopatch doesn't need to be kept refrigerated to maintain its
efficacy - a tremendously important factor for the transportation and
application of polio vaccine in the remote regions of the world where
eradication efforts are most challenging," said David L. Hoey, CEO of
Vaxxas. "The research we are undertaking with WHO's support aims to
provide better vaccine solutions to reach all children anywhere with
this life-saving health intervention."
Vaxxas was founded in August 2011 with the completion of a $15M Series A
equity financing. In late 2012 the company opened a commercialization
office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to expand access to global
pharmaceutical partners and complement the Company's research and
development operations based in Queensland, Australia. In order to
capitalize on the numerous opportunities to commercialize its
proprietary Nanopatch platform, Vaxxas is pursuing strategic plans to
both license its technology to global pharmaceutical companies as well
as advance vaccine candidates on its own. Vaxxas has a collaboration
with Merck & Co. Inc. to evaluate, develop and commercialize Vaxxas'
Nanopatch vaccine delivery platform for undisclosed vaccine candidates
developed by Merck.
About Vaxxas
Vaxxas is a privately-held biotechnology company focused on enhancing
the performance of existing and next-generation vaccines with its
proprietary Nanopatch™ technology platform. Vaxxas' Nanopatch contains
an ultra-high density array of projections - invisible to the naked
human eye - that are dry-coated with vaccine. Application of the
Nanopatch to the skin is pain free and rapidly delivers the vaccine to
the abundant immune cell population immediately below the skin surface.
In a wide range of preclinical studies Nanopatch delivery of vaccine
achieves equivalent protective immunity as the needle and syringe - but
with only 1/100th of the dose. It has also been shown that
Vaxxas' proprietary dry-coating technology can eliminate the need for
vaccine refrigeration during storage and transportation - removing the
resource burden of maintaining the "cold chain." Leveraging both the
potent immunogenic response and thermostability, Vaxxas is applying its
technology to improve the performance of vaccines, with initial
applications targeting infectious disease and oncology. The company has
its first announced pharmaceutical company collaboration with Merck.
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