CEPI partners with Intravacc to develop an intranasal, broadly protective Betacoronavirus vaccine
October 6h, 2022; OSLO, Norway/Bilthoven, The Netherlands: CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and Dutch vaccine clinical development and manufacturing organization, Intravacc, today announced the latest funding award under CEPI's US$200m programme to advance the development of vaccines that provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 (including its variants) and other Betacoronaviruses.
CEPI will provide seed funding of up to US$4.8 million to Intravacc—a world leader in translational research and development of preventive and therapeutic vaccines—to advance the development of a broadly protective Betacoronavirus vaccine candidate, which can be delivered intranasally.
CEPI's funding will support preclinical development and testing of Intravacc's subunit vaccine candidate (Avacc 101), which is based on its Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) platform.
The latest waves of Omicron subvariants in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere show that SARS-CoV-2 still poses a serious threat to a still fragile global recovery. To secure the gains we've made, we must continue to develop vaccines that provide broad protection against these variants to mitigate the need for regular variant boosters, and which can also provide protection against other, more lethal, coronavirus threats including MERS-CoV. Investing in, initiating the development of, and enabling equitable access to broadly protective coronavirus vaccines should be an integral part of the world's long-term strategy out of the COVID-19 pandemic and defence against future threats.
This technology has the potential to be rapidly adapted to address outbreaks of disease caused by emerging Betacoronavirus strains and variants, and also to protect against pre-emergent Betacoronaviruses (ie, before they "spillover" from animals to infect humans). Specifically, the Avacc 101 vaccine candidate will be designed to provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-1, SAR-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV. This platform will enable presentation of universal Spike molecules and will include "epitopes" that can also elicit T-cell responses.
Unlike the COVID-19 vaccines currently in use, this candidate will be delivered intranasally. This method of administration could help to produce the mucosal immunity needed to block viral infection thereby reducing person-to-person transmission.
This is the real beginning of a new era for intranasal vaccines. Teaming up with CEPI is a big step forward: from ‘best alone', to ‘better together'. In this way, we can leverage Intravacc's OMV platform for the vaccine the world so desperately needs.
Enabling equitable access
CEPI is committed to the principle of equitable access to the vaccines it funds. Under the terms of the funding agreement, Intravacc has committed to achieving equitable access to the outputs of this project, in line with CEPI's Equitable Access Policy.
Notes to editors
CEPI's $200m all-in-one coronavirus vaccine programme
Including today's announcement, CEPI has to date announced funding for 12 programmes to advance the development of vaccines that could provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other Betacoronaviruses. See here for more information.
About CEPI
CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations, launched at Davos in 2017, to develop vaccines against future epidemics. Prior to COVID-19, CEPI's work focused on developing vaccines against Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever virus and Chikungunya virus—it has over 20 vaccine candidates against these pathogens in development. CEPI has also invested in new platform technologies for rapid vaccine development against unknown pathogens (Disease X).
During the current pandemic, CEPI initiated multiple programmes to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants with a focus on speed, scale and access. These programmes leverage the rapid response platforms developed by CEPI's partners prior to the emergence of COVID-19 as well as new collaborations. The aim is to advance clinical development of a diverse portfolio of safe and effective COVID-19 candidates and to enable fair allocation to these vaccines worldwide through COVAX.
CEPI's 5-year plan lays out a $3.5 billion roadmap to compress vaccine development timelines to 100 days, develop a universal vaccine against COVID-19 and other Betacoronaviruses, and create a "library" of vaccine candidates for use against known and unknown pathogens. The plan is available at https://endpandemics.cepi.net.
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About Intravacc B.V
Intravacc, located at Utrecht Science Park Bilthoven in the Netherlands, is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) of innovative vaccines against infectious diseases. As an established independent CDMO with an outstanding track record in vaccine development and vaccine technologies, Intravacc has transferred its technology related to polio vaccines, measles vaccines, DPT vaccines, Hib vaccines and influenza vaccines around the world. Around 40% of childhood disease vaccines are based on Intravacc's proprietary technology. Intravacc offers a wide range of expertise to develop vaccine from concept to Phase I/II clinical studies for partners around the world, including universities, public health organizations (WHO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), biotech and pharmaceutical companies. For more information, please visit www.intravacc.nl.
Media Contacts:
CEPI
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 7387 055214
Intravacc B.V.:
Dr. Jan Groen, CEO
P: +31 30 7920 454
Mirjam Hartman, Media relations
P: +31 6 115 969 94
E: [email protected]
LifeSpring Life Sciences Communication, Amsterdam
Leon Melens
P: +31 6 538 16 427
E: [email protected]
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