ExpreS2ion announces initiation of a Wuhan Coronavirus vaccine program
Hørsholm, Denmark, February 6, 2020 – Today, ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies ApS (“ExpreS2ion”), a fully owned subsidiary of ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB, announces the initiation of a Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) vaccine program. ExpreS2ion will produce viral antigens needed for diagnostics and vaccine research, focused on internal vaccine development efforts. The program’s first stage has a timeline of two-three months and is contained within ExpreS2ion’s existing budget.
ExpreS2ion will apply its clinically validated Drosophila S2 insect cell expression system, ExpreS2, to produce 2019-nCoV viral antigens in the company’s clinically validated cell lines, as well as in ExpreS2ion’s new HighMan-S2™ immunogenicity-enhancing cell line. The aim is to produce the vaccine antigens and test these in mice to demonstrate immunogenicity, and through collaborations demonstrate efficacy in in vitro or animal models as these become available.
The Wuhan Coronavirus vaccine program (“ExpreS2-CoV”)’s first stage has a timeline of two-three months and is contained within ExpreS2ion’s existing budget. In the second stage, which is expected to take place in H2 2020, available animal models will be implemented for in vivo efficacy testing of ExpreS2-CoV. ExpreS2ion will continuously seek infectious diseases vaccine development partnering opportunities in academia and the biopharmaceutical industry for initiation of the third stage, clinical investigations.
CEO Bent Frandsen comments
“ExpreS2ion’s ExpreS2 system is currently employed in five Malaria vaccine clinical programs, with the Rh5 program having been successfully tested in a Phase IIa malaria challenge study by the University of Oxford. These results demonstrate the wide applicability of our system to produce complex vaccine antigens to address critical unmet medical needs. Our aim now is to contribute to the fight against the Wuhan Coronavirus in any way we can, first step being to produce ExpreS2-CoV.”
About the Wuhan Coronavirus:
A novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak was reported in Wuhan, China in late December 2019. The 2019-nCoV Coronavirus is a part of the same family as SARS and MERS, and there have been more than 20 000 confirmed cases and over 400 deaths as of February 4th, 2020. The latest situation updates are available on the WHO web page: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019.
Certified Adviser
Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning AB
Telefon: +46 11 32 30 732
E-post: ca@skmg.se
For further information about ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB, please contact:
Bent U. Frandsen, CEO
Telephone: +45 4256 6869
E-mail: buf@expres2ionbio.com
This press release contains information that ExpreS2ion is obligated to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above on February 6, 2020.
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 300 proteins and 40 virus-like particles (VLPs) in collaboration with leading research institutions and companies. Since 2017, ExpreS2ion develops novel VLP based vaccines through its joint venture AdaptVac ApS. For additional information, please visit www.expres2ionbio.com and www.adaptvac.com.