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Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection through development and clinical testing of a novel Virus Like Particle (VLP) vaccine

Descrizione del progetto

Un nuovo vaccino contro il virus della SARS-CoV-2

È in atto una gara per lo sviluppo di un vaccino contro il virus della SARS-CoV-2. Il progetto Prevent-nCoV, finanziato dall’UE, utilizzerà una tecnologia proprietaria per sviluppare un vaccino nuovo e scalabile con comprovata efficacia in un modello animale. La tecnologia coniuga in maniera eccezionale particelle virus-simili (VLP, virus-like particle) e l’antigene di elezione prodotto da qualsiasi sistema di espressione. I due componenti vengono miscelati in condizioni fisiologiche, portando alla visualizzazione ad alta densità dell’antigene sulla superficie delle VLP. I vaccini candidati saranno inizialmente testati per la loro capacità di neutralizzazione del virus in vitro e nei modelli di infezione preclinica prima di procedere con uno studio di fase I/IIa.

Obiettivo

Our aim is to perform pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of a potential Wuhan Coronavirus vaccine candidate. The vaccine will be based on Virus-Like Particle (VLP) display of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein antigen. AdaptVac's VLP display technology has been shown to significantly improve vaccine immunogenicity, longevity and efficacy, for a wide range of viral and parasite diseases in pre-clinical studies (including flu and malaria). A unique feature of the technology is its two-component approach. The VLP is generic to all vaccines, and produced at >1g/L yields using E. coli. The disease antigen is produced in any expression system, allowing the most challenging antigens to be successfully produced. The VLP and antigen is then simply mixed, and a spontaneous, irreversible, conjugation
occurs under physiological conditions. This results in site-specific, directional, and high-density display of the antigen on the VLP surface. The antigen will be produced using ExpreS2ion's Drosophila S2 insect cells based on the trimetric spike antigen. Furthermore, E. coli and baculovirus will be tested for Spike protein variants. The vaccine candidates will be tested pre-clinically using in vitro viral neutralization assays and possibly animal challenge
models as they become available at LUMC. ExpreS2ion will develop the production processes and transfer these for GMP manufacture of the VLP and vaccine antigen, outsourced, to AGC Biologics. Finally, a phase I/IIa study will be performed at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. A surrogate marker of protection will be established by showing protection in animal models using passive transfer of participant sera, or by in vitro SARS-CoV-2 viral neutralization. This project is focused on delivering a scalable vaccine, ready for testing in the field, which has been shown to be safe in humans and effective in in vitro or animal models.

Meccanismo di finanziamento

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinatore

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 128 647,50
Indirizzo
NORREGADE 10
1165 Kobenhavn
Danimarca

Mostra sulla mappa

Regione
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Tipo di attività
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Collegamenti
Costo totale
€ 128 647,50

Partecipanti (8)