Bharat Biotech, Exelgene SA of Switzerland and the University of Sydney have come together to develop a variant-proof SARS-CoV-2 vaccine through the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) recently approved consortium funding.
Under this, CEPI will provide funding of up to $19.3 million to develop a “variant-proof” SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate for Phase I clinical trials.
Together the team will generate and screen a large and diverse library of chimeric spike proteins to identify highly cross reactive antigen structures that recall past and potentially future forms.
Exelgene will produce complex “chimeric” spike antigens using its engineered “CHOExpress-cell-based technology”, a press release by Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech said on Tuesday.
With this new funding Exelgene expands collaboration with Prof Jamie Trikas’ team, which began in early 2020, XE launched in March 2020 the Wuhan Trimery SARS-cav-spike protein and Nquandi alpha, beta, delta and recent Recently started production of Onikran variants. The company distributed these antigens to its partners as highly purified stable, trimeric spike proteins that were annealed to produce high yields, it said.
Excelgene CEO Maria Worm said the new CEPI partnership is a great opportunity to demonstrate what is possible in the creation of highly complex antigen structures, consisting of computer-designed individual monomers, as a potentially variant-proof COVID-19 for the vaccine.
“We are delighted to partner with Exelgene, Bharat Biotech and the CEPI organization to advance our platform for the development of comprehensively protective COVID-19 vaccines,” said Professor Jamie Trikas from the Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney.
The University of Sydney will provide a framework for pre-clinical evaluation of vaccine candidates, as well as access to Australia’s world-class early-stage clinical trial community.
Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) said, “Being a successful vaccine manufacturer, especially in the COVID-19 sector, does not allow us to relax. Hence we assure the CEPI organization We are very pleased to say that our partnership across three continents is a strong solution that promises to open a new door to the cross-reactive vaccine of the future.”
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