Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp.

The World Health Organization has secured licensing agreements with Medigen Vaccine Biologics, the University of Chile and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) to increase the number of Covid-19 vaccine and assay product options for worldwide use. The licensing agreements fall under WHO’s Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). Medigen is the first private manufacturer, as well as the first vaccine maker, to enter an agreement with C-TAP. The Taiwan-based biotech is licensing its Covid-19 vaccine, MVC COVID-19, and providing staff training to manufacturers. The protein subunit vaccine, which has emergency use authorization in Taiwan, has had three million doses administered in seven countries, according to a WHO press release.

Chinese fusion protein company Clover Biopharmaceuticals raised a $230 million series C round co-led by GL Ventures and Temasek, which will push its COVID-19 vaccine into Phase II/III testing and production planning. Chinese fusion protein company Clover Biopharmaceuticals raised a $230 million series C round co-led by GL Ventures and Temasek, which will push its COVID-19 vaccine into Phase II/III testing and production planning. The funding will also back development of a next-generation vaccine program against SAR-CoV-2 variants, and several other recombinant trimeric fusion protein-based vaccines and cancer therapeutics targeting previously undruggable pathways. New investors Oceanpine Capital and OrbiMed, and existing investor Delos Capital, joined the venture round. The company announced positive Phase I safety and tolerability data for its two COVID-19 SCB-2019 S-Trimer vaccine candidates in December, which were formulated with from Dynavax’s CpG 1018 adjuvant and GlaxoSmithKline’s pandemic adjuvant system, respectively. Although Phase II/III efficacy trials for both were announced at the time, Clover announced earlier this month it would terminate its GSK partnership and move forward only with the Dynavax collaboration. While Clover did not elaborate on the move, safety data published in January in The Lancet showed patients receiving Dynavax’s adjuvant had fewer systemic adverse events following the second dose. Dynavax’s adjuvant has also been tapped by Medigen Vaccine Biologics for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, MVC-COV1901, currently in Phase II testing. The Phase II/III trial will be supported by $99 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). CEPI had previously funded the Phase I trials last year , to the tune of $69.5 million. It has said it may commit up to $328 million in total. Clover’s technology is based on covalently-trimerized fusion proteins, allowing it to target difficult disease pathways like the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily, which is involved in cancer, immune function and infection. The company has at least five other vaccine programs in development based on trimeric fusion proteins, including a multivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that could protect against multiple variants to rabies, plus vaccine candidates against HIV/AIDS, influenza, rabies and respiratory syncytial virus. Another area of focus for Clover is cancer immunotherapy, where its lead asset is SCB-313, a human TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-based trimeric fusion protein therapy. SCB-313 is currently in Phase I testing for malignant ascites and pleural effusions, and for peritoneal carcinomatosis. It has at least two other cancer therapies in preclinical development. Clover said the funding would advance several of its pipeline products into the clinic this 2021, plus boost its R&D and commercial biomanufacturing capabilities. Clover is also developing Fc-fusion protein-based biosimilars. Its lead candidate is a biosimilar for Embrel, currently in Phase III testing for ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

MIMIX patch is designed to deliver medicines and vaccines through multiple tiny and painless projections Vaxess has secured NSF and DARPA funding for the development of refrigeration-free vaccine patch. (Credit: MasterTux from Pixabay) US-based biotechnology firm Vaxess Technologies has secured funding from National Science Foundation (NSF) and a subcontract from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop mRNA-based single-dose and refrigeration-free vaccine patch. The funding will be provided to two separate projects that will mainly focus on the development of mRNA-based vaccines and other medical countermeasures with the ability to bypass the cold-chain in a painless patch format. Based on the achievement of all milestones, total funding will be provided up to $2m, including a $256,000 phase I SBIR grant from the NSF. Vaxess will use the financing to enhance administration of new mRNA-based vaccines and other medical countermeasures. The company will incorporate mRNA-based vaccines and gene modulators through a collaboration with the Santangelo Lab at Georgia Tech into MIMIX patches for the administration of the vaccines. MIMIX is painless and shelf-stable patch MIMIX is a painless and shelf-stable patch that uses a patented sustained release technology. The patch, which can be self-applied, will help improve protection. The patch is designed to deliver medicines and vaccines through multiple tiny and painless projections, which dissolve at an accurate engineered rate and release the treatment at its most effective dose. Silk Protein Matrix patented technology allows the patch to avoid the use of ultra-cold chain logistics, thereby helping to easily distribute in times of pandemic outbreaks. In addition, the patch is compatible with a range of Covid-19 vaccine candidates. Vaxess co-founder Livio Valenti said: “Funding from the NSF and DARPA represent a renewed commitment from the Federal Government to support the development of novel vaccines to combat the current pandemic and future threats. “Vaxess will continue to be a source of innovation to address some of the most pressing challenges we are facing today and in the years to come.” In September 2020, Vaxess Technologies joined forces with Medigen Vaccine Biologics (MVC) to develop a combined Covid-19 and influenza vaccine patch.