Brisbane biotech company to work on global pandemic preparation
A Brisbane biotech company announced it has been awarded a tender to advance European preparation for future pandemic threats.
Brisbane-based Vaxxas has been awarded a phase one tender by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) on behalf of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to prepare for future seasonal and pandemic influenza threats in Europe.
The tender is part of a global Consortium alongside SK bioscience and IDT Biologika.
The initiative will offer up to $250 million across three competitive sequential phases under the EU 2024 EU4Health Work Programme.
The funding will focus on vaccines designed for easy administration through alternative delivery platforms like Vaxxas’ high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP).
The roughly $22 million phase one funding will support the Consortium’s advancement of Vaxxas’ HD-MAP technology in conjunction with SK bioscience’s seasonal influenza vaccine through a clinical study.
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A pre-clinical development of a “clinic-ready” HD-MAP will also be developed for pre-pandemic influenza.
Vaxxas CEO David Peacock said the tender reflects a shared ambition across the Consortium and the European Union to invest in alternate vaccine technologies.
“This tender positions Vaxxas and its Consortium partners at the forefront of global vaccination innovation. We are proud to see our technology recognised by governments worldwide as a critical component of future public health preparedness,” Peacock said.
Vaxxas is also currently completing the largest phase one clinical study of its HD-MAP with a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine supported by the US Government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
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The Consortium submission was led by European-based IDT Biologika, a leader in global contract development and the manufacturing of vaccines, gene and immune therapeutics.
Co-CEO of IDT Biologika Dr Sally Choe said the company has been working in vaccine development and manufacturing for more than 100 years.
“By working with SK bioscience and Vaxxas to advance needle-free patch technology for influenza vaccines, we are helping to develop new vaccination approaches designed to better protect people around the world against seasonal and pandemic influenza,” Choe said.
SK bioscience will supply vaccine antigens for both seasonal and pandemic influenza studies as part of its longstanding collaboration with Vaxxas.
President and CEO of SK bioscience Jaeyong Ahn said the project demonstrates how the combined global network and technological capabilities translate into performance.
“We will continue to actively pursue opportunities for our proprietary vaccines in Europe and strengthen our competitiveness in the global market through innovative delivery platforms,” Ahn said.
If phase one is successful, the Consortium will be eligible to tender for subsequent phases including late-stage clinical trials, application for marketing authorisation and the establishment of a sovereign EU manufacturing capability.
All clinical products for phase one will be manufactured using Vaxxas’ proprietary and newly installed sterile automated manufacturing lines from its biomedical facility in Brisbane.
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