PLYMOUTH—Esperovax Inc., a private Michigan-based biotechnology company specializing in innovative circular RNA technologies announced today that DynPort Vaccine Company LLC, a General Dynamics Information Technology company, awarded Esperovax a two-year base subcontract valued at $1.5 million for the pre-clinical development of an oral H5N1 influenza RNA vaccine.
This subcontract, entitled “An oral, encapsulated yeast-based vaccine platform for synthesis of mRNA-containing enveloped VLPs” was awarded under the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency Medical CBRN Defense Consortium Other Transactional Agreement. Options on the subcontract may provide additional funding for vaccine development for H5N1 influenza or other emerging biothreat agents.
The project will focus on developing a thermostable oral circular RNA-based H5N1 influenza vaccine candidate using Esperovax’s proprietary yeast-based circular RNA technologies that address significant storage, shelf-life, manufacturing expense, and duration of immunity challenges confronting current protein and RNA vaccines. This H5N1 influenza vaccine is designed to elicit systemic and mucosal humoral and cell-mediated immunity that protects against respiratory tract viral infection and virus dissemination from vaccinated persons.
“Esperovax looks forward to working with DVC and DTRA to develop oral RNA vaccines for biothreats using our technologies that we have applied to other vaccines previously,” said Esperovax CEO Robin Robinson. “Our team including Dr. Richard Webby at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is committed to advancing this novel vaccine platform that may afford easy oral administration with robust and long-lasting protective immunity and manufacturing cost-savings.”
DVC will manage the project, with Esperovax contributing technical expertise, key personnel, and critical research and development capabilities. This partnership aims to achieve a significant milestone in biodefense, enhancing the Department of Defense’s ability to protect military personnel from biological threats.
More at www.esperovax.com.