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NESS-ZIONA, ISRAEL, Feb. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VAXIL BIO LTD. (“ Vaxil ” or the “ Company ”) (TSX VENTURE: VXL), an innovative immunotherapy biotech company specializing in cancer and infectious diseases, today reports results of the previously disclosed COVID-19 vaccine candidate challenge experiment and the strategy going forward.
Vaxil established the USAMRIID collaboration (CRADA) based on the global need for a viable COVID-19 vaccine utilizing an alternative technology that demonstrates cellular and humoral responses, both of which are necessary. In this rapidly moving pandemic, variants have become the established infection model, which can be better addressed with Vaxil’s SP approach. Neutralizing antibody technologies may require frequent modifications while Vaxil’s signal peptide (“ SP ”) technology may provide long-term efficacy as the virus mutates.
The USAMRIID COVID-19 mouse model challenge experiment demonstrated that Vaxil’s SP-based vaccine candidate generated a specific immune response. This was not, however, accompanied by vaccine protection of the animals.
The Company plans to conduct additional analyses and on the basis of the understanding obtained, refine aspects of experiment design, including dosing levels and regimens, and alternate animal models that may allow future investigation of the unique and specific aspects of SP’s as immunogens. In addition, the Company will evaluate alternate peptide delivery approaches, including oral administration. This strategy focuses future efforts on the unique benefits of SP’s to sustain Vaxil’s competitive advantage over the longer term, beyond the current crisis environment, when it can realistically achieve approval for human use.
The Company’s strategy to deliver value over the long-term is based on potentially unique benefits of SPs including their broad and strong immune response, both cellular and humoral, their reduced propensity to genetic mutation and the advantage of efficient manufacturing.
“ We were pleased to see the encouraging immune response and are excited to pursue further testing to highlight the unique advantages of SPs as a technology, though we had hoped to be able to demonstrate higher levels of protection in our first challenge experiment. It’s not uncommon to see such results at this early stage. We will work diligently with our international team of experts to further understand the data as COVID-19 is unfortunately going to be around for a long time. Whilst we had hoped to get into the clinic sooner, we believe that our technology could still be very relevant in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases,” said David Goren, Vaxil’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and continued, “ thanks to our relatively strong balance sheet, we have sufficient funds to continue the pre-clinical development of our potential vaccine and our other research programs. ”
Dr. Michael Berelowitz, Vaxil’s newly appointed senior advisor the board of directors added: “ Vaxil’s innovative approach in targeting the SP domain of clinically meaningful cancer and infectious disease molecules provided the stimulus for joining the company. The demonstration in this study of COVID-19 SP immunogenicity provides support and impetus for the concept. These results, together with those previously seen in multiple myeloma and tuberculosis, provide support for the Vaxil strategy moving forward and their investigative approach toward developing critical new therapeutics.”
The Company is not making any express or implied claims that it has completed developing or will be successful in developing a COVID-19 (or SARS-CoV-2) vaccine at this time.