ExpreS2ion provides update on its expectations to the COVID-19 vaccine program prior to the Q2 2020 report
Hørsholm, Denmark, August 19, 2020 – ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB (“ExpreS2ion” or the “Company”) hereby updates the market on its expectations to the development timelines of the COVID-19 vaccine prior to the release of the Company’s Q2 2002 report. The Company now expects the phase III trials to commence as soon as the first half of 2021, with possible market launch before the end of 2021.
The Company previously announced that the PREVENT-nCoV consortium, in which the Company is a partner, plans to enter the first clinical Phase I/IIa trial before the end of 2020, with headline results announced towards the end of Q1, 2021. The first trial will test the vaccine’s safety as well as surrogate markers of efficacy (immune response). The Company now further announces that it expects the vaccine to enter phase III trials in the first half of 2021. If so, the vaccine could be ready for market launch already by the end of 2021. These milestones reflect current plans and expectations and are subject to the Company’s development partners receiving the funding needed to carry out a 20-30.000 patient trial in the next few months, and not least, approval from the regulatory authorities.
ExpreS2ion’s CEO Bent Frandsen comments:
“The pandemic itself, and the search for vaccines, continues to evolve. Last week saw the EU placing the first advanced purchase order for 300 million doses of the viral vector vaccine that AstraZeneca and Oxford University has in phase II/III development. We can expect to see a lot more of these types of announcements over the coming months, and a lot of additional funding being awarded. If all goes well, ExpreS2ion could see significant cash flows from COVID-19 vaccine sales starting within the next 12-18 months. Our expectation is that well over half a billion doses of our vaccine will eventually be needed over the next four to five years. This number could increase if the virus becomes endemic. Which sadly, it very well might.”
Certified Adviser
Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning AB
Telefon: +46 11 32 30 732
E-post: ca@skmg.se
For further information about ExpreS2ion, please contact:
Bent U. Frandsen, CEO
Telephone: +45 4256 6869
E-mail: buf@expres2ionbio.com
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.
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.