ExpreS2ion and Evaxion initiate research collaboration on a novel cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate
Hørsholm, Denmark, December 6, 2022 – ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB’s affiliate ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies ApS (“ExpreS2ion") announces that the company has signed a Vaccine Discovery Collaboration Agreement with Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX) (“Evaxion”) for the joint development of a novel cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate. The collaboration will combine ExpreS2ion’s ExpreS2 platform and resources for vaccine development and production with Evaxion’s RAVEN artificial intelligence (AI) platform for vaccine candidate discovery and state-of-the-art preclinical models. The aim of the collaboration is to, before the end of 2025, develop a novel CMV lead vaccine candidate, which ExpreS2ion has the exclusive right to license under a potential Development and Commercialization Agreement. The research costs and IP licensing for the collaboration project will be divided 50/50 between the parties until 2025, with all costs expected to be covered by each party’s existing budget.
During the discovery phase of the collaboration, Evaxion will use its proprietary AI platform, RAVEN, to design a next-generation vaccine candidate that elicits both cellular and humoral/antibody responses. The antigen constructs derived from Evaxion’s AI platform will be produced by ExpreS2ion in the company’s ExpreS2 platform, followed by assessments in Evaxion’s state-of-the-art in vivo vaccine models. The joint discovery project will be included in ExpreS2ion’s development pipeline under the name ES2B-I002.
A potential future Development and Commercialisation Agreement for the jointly discovered CMV lead vaccine candidate is expected to include an upfront payment and future milestone payments to Evaxion from ExpreS2ion not exceeding a six-digit USD amount, as well as sub-licensing royalty to Evaxion from ExpreS2ion based on mid to lower two-digit percentage range of third-party licensee income depending on the clinical development stage of the CMV asset at the time of sublicensing.
ExpreS2ion’s CEO Bent U. Frandsen comments:
“We are excited to initiate a collaboration with Evaxion to develop a novel CMV vaccine candidate and, during this process, be able to combine our respective capabilities. Together, we cover the full value chain of vaccine discovery and development, from bioinformatics-derived antigen constructs, through upstream and downstream process development, preclinical pharmacology development, and further. I have high hopes of this partnership leading to the development of a highly immunogenic and user-friendly vaccine for protection against CMV infections.”
Evaxion’s CEO Per Norlén comments:
“This is a great win for both companies allowing us to build on the synergies between our cutting-edge technologies for vaccine discovery. And it is a great pleasure to team up with Bent and his team. We believe that ExpreS2ion´s superb platforms for the production of complex proteins are a great match with our AI platform for target discovery and our novel technologies for inducing strong immune responses. CMV represents a critical unmet medical need, and I believe our two companies have the potential to deliver a truly differentiated vaccine.”
About CMV and the medical need
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpesvirus family, and it is a very common infection, with half of the US population being infected by the age of 40. The virus is transmitted in body fluids, and once infected, the virus stays for life. People with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients, can develop severe symptoms affecting, for example, eyes, lungs, and liver, and congenitally infected babies may suffer from intellectual disability and loss of vision and hearing.
About Evaxion
Evaxion Biotech A/S is a clinical-stage biotech company developing AI-powered immunotherapies. Its proprietary and scalable AI technology decodes the human immune system to discover and develop novel immunotherapies for cancer, bacterial diseases, and viral infections. Evaxion has a broad pipeline of novel product candidates, including three patient-specific cancer immunotherapies. It is listed with Nasdaq US under the ticker “EVAX” and is located in Hørsholm, Denmark, with 70 employees.
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This press release constitutes inside information that ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014. The information was sent for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at the time stated by the Company’s news distributor, Cision, at the publication of this press release.
For further information about ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB, please contact:
Bent U. Frandsen, CEO
Telephone: +45 4256 6869
E-mail: buf@expres2ionbio.com
Keith Alexander, CFO
Telephone: +45 5131 8147
E-mail: ka@expres2ionbio.com
About ExpreS2ion
ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies ApS is a fully owned Danish subsidiary of ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB with company register number 559033-3729. ExpreS2ion has developed a unique technology platform, ExpreS2, for fast and efficient non-clinical development and production of complex proteins for new vaccines and diagnostics. ExpreS2 is regulatorily validated for clinical supply. The platform includes functionally modified glycosylation variants for enhanced immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics. Since 2010, the Company has produced more than 500 proteins and virus-like particles (VLPs) in collaboration with leading research institutions and companies. ExpreS2ion develops novel VLP based vaccines in association with AdaptVac ApS, of which ExpreS2ion owns 34%. For additional information, please visit www.expres2ionbio.com.
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