Project description
Eliminating bacterial contamination through eggs for vaccine development and production
In times when immunisation has become a universal demand, any practice that transforms vaccine production, facilitates the work of health service providers and enables a rapid response to global pandemics is extremely valuable. The EU-funded OvaVax project aims to become the go-to supplier of the world's first superior-quality germ-free eggs to the vaccine industry globally by 2021. The project is led by an innovation-based biotechnology company that utilises disruptive technology for improved quality and viral yield in egg-based vaccine production and other biotechnology applications. The new process they are proposing will address the increasing demand for safe, fast and cost-effective solutions in vaccine manufacturing.
Objective
Disruptive technology for improved quality and viral yield in egg-based vaccine production and other biotechnology applications.
Ovagen Group Ltd. (OGL) is an innovation-based biotechnology company, led by serial entrepreneurs, providing specialist contract services to Biopharma, Pharmaceutical and Vaccine industries. OGL specialises in avian Germ-Free (GF) technology and avian transgenics to Good Manufacturing Practice standards. The company’s vision is to be the go-to supplier of superior quality GF eggs to the vaccine industry globally by 2021.
INNOVATION: The founders Dr Leonard Moran CEO and Dr Catherine Caulfield COO together with external VC investors and Enterprise Ireland have invested €12.91M in seven years of R&D, utilising the considerable skills, expertise and experience of our team within this field to develop a unique and novel, patent protected process to enable commercially viable production of the World’s first germ-free (GF) eggs, to eliminate bacterial contamination through eggs for vaccine development and production. This will result in improved quality, production costs and viral yields for vaccine manufacturers leading to cost and availability benefits for health service providers for immunisation programmes to protect the health and lives of populations whilst enabling a rapid response to Global pandemic demands. There is exceptionally strong market pull for our innovative disruptive technology, and the increasing use of vaccines to support global demand for quality eggs estimated CAGR of 8.8% and market value of USD 1.89Bn by 2022.
OPPORTUNITY: Over 1bn fertilised specific pathogen free (SPF) chicken eggs are used annually in vaccine manufacture, servicing a vaccine market size estimated to be worth €48bn by 2021 with an AGR of 8.3%.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
F26PC79 BALLINA
Ireland
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.