Technology
Exclusive interview with Dr Fadil Bidmos
As the countdown to the World Vaccine Congress in Washington continues with only days to go, we are excited to share another pre-event interview.
Universal oral COVID-19 vaccine protects hamsters in study
A study in Microbiology Spectrum in March 2023 demonstrated the benefits of an oral vaccine for COVID-19 that could “dramatically improve immunisation rates”.
China accepts first mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 from CSPC
In March 2023 the board of directors at CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited announced that the company’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine has been included
Vaxxinity starts trial of LDL cholesterol vaccine candidate
Vaxxinity announced that the first subjects of a Phase I trial had been dosed. The trial of VXX-401 will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity
SpyBiotech granted funding for SpyVector platform project
SpyBiotech, a biotechnology company spin out from the University of Oxford, announced in March 2023 that it had received a grant of $4,094,561
GSK’s 5-in-1 Meningococcal vaccine shows promise in trial
In March 2023 GSK announced positive headline results from a Phase III trial evaluating its MenABCWY combination vaccine candidate. Assessing safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity, the trial started in August 2020. All primary endpoints were met, and the vaccine...
Exclusive interview with Dr Ike James
With just weeks to go until the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, we are delighted to continue sharing interviews. In this post, we spoke to Dr Ike James, Head of Technology Transfer at the Medicines Patent Pool. Dr James will participate in the conversation...
Thermostable tuberculosis vaccine meets Phase I goals
Tuberculosis is one of the leading infectious causes of morbidity and mortality across the world. In 2020 it killed 1.5 million people and caused 10 million new infections. It also has a disproportionate case burden of two-thirds in 8 countries. Although there is a...
VIE awards 2023: the final shortlist announced!
With less than a month to go before we congregate for the World Vaccine Congress in Washington in April, we are pleased to share the organisations and individuals who have progressed to the final shortlist for the VIE Awards. After successful rounds of submissions...
Will cell-free processes accelerate vaccine development?
Writing for Nature in March 2023, Carrie Arnold explores the possibilities presented by cell-free processes. Arnold identifies a “growing number of biomanufacturing firms” that are “embracing” a cell-free biosynthesis strategy. Without relying on yeast or bacteria...
Exclusive interview with Dr Yongjun Sui
As we continue our countdown to the World Vaccine Congress in Washington this April we are delighted to share more conversations with some of our fascinating speakers across a range of subjects. In this interview we were pleased to speak to Dr Yongjun Sui of NIH. She...
GSK “delighted” by VRBPAC vote on RSV candidate
Just one day after Pfizer announced that the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) had voted on its RSV vaccine candidate, GSK announced the results of the Committee’s vote on its candidate. This follows "exceptional” results of a trial...
Pfizer “encouraged” by VRBPAC vote on RSV candidate
In February 2023, a few days after the FDA requested further studies into the link between GBS and its RSV vaccine candidate, Pfizer announced that the FDA had voted that available data supports the “safety and effectiveness” of the vaccine. The Vaccines and Related...
FDA requests research into Pfizer’s RSV GBS risk
Following the FDA’s acceptance for review of a Biologics License Application for Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate, the agency has asked for further studies into the connection between the vaccine and cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)....
LinKinVax welcomes HIV candidate Phase I results
In February 2023 LinKinVax announced positive interim results from the ANRS VRI06 Phase I trial, evaluating a preventative HIV vaccine. This was conducted by sponsor INSERM-ANRS and the Vaccine Research Insititute. LinKinVax reports that the candidate is “safe” and...
When pigs fly – or vaccinate themselves against Salmonella
The complex process of vaccinating pigs is time consuming and requires direct interaction between humans and animals, or so we thought. A study in Nature Scientific Reports in February 2023 details a successful study investigating the possibility of presenting pigs...
Funding Australian efforts for mRNA Strep A vaccine
The University of Queensland, Australia, announced in February 2023 that a university-led research effort had secured almost $8 million in philanthropic funding. The researchers are trying to develop an mRNA vaccine against Group A Streptococcus (Strep A), with the...
Synthetic squalene: a sustainable alternative to shark?
An article in npj vaccine in February 2023 explores the role of squalene in vaccine development and how a synthetic alternative, squalane, opens new doors. The authors, from the US, suggest that although squalene is a useful addition to vaccine composition, the...
World Vaccine Congress Washington: meet our start-ups!
As we get closer to the World Vaccine Congress in Washington our introductions to the start-up zone continue! This time we are pleased to present the final round of start-ups that have signed up so far: the Vs of the start-up zone. If you are interested in joining...
Pfizer and Valneva issue update on Lyme vaccine trial
In February 2023 Pfizer and Valneva announced that Pfizer, study sponsor of the VALOR Phase III clinical study, has decided to “discontinue a significant percentage of participants in the US” who had been enrolled already. This discontinuation represents...
