VaxEquity and CPI Announces Innovate UK Grant to Accelerate Next Generation RNA Vaccines and Therapeutics

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VaxEquity, developing transformative RNA vaccines and therapeutics based on its next generation self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) platform, and CPI, the UK’s leading independent technology innovation centre, today announce a grant of approximately £700K from Innovate UK. The grant will fund a collaborative project to advance the manufacturing process for RNA vaccines and therapeutics.

The project will test optimised conditions for scalability in the manufacturing of saRNA with plans to progress a candidate influenza vaccine rapidly into clinical trials. Flu is responsible for approximately 11,000 deaths each year in England and hospitalises many more^[1].

Dr Tim Sparey, Managing Director at VaxEquity, said: “The potential of nucleic acids as vaccines and therapeutics is only just being realised. This powerful collaboration with CPI, fuelled by Innovate UK, starts with a giant step forward in scaling the manufacturing of a novel saRNA influenza vaccine. With our combined skill and capabilities, we plan to proceed into preclinical and clinical development to bring the world real benefit in the fight against flu. This collaboration will identify, establish, and protect an optimised process for saRNA manufacture which should open up the global horizon to many future vaccine and therapeutics.”

Brendan Fish, Director of Biologics & RNA Centre of Excellence at the CPI said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with RNA experts at VaxEquity to help ensure the promise of the post-pandemic push for global RNA vaccines is fulfilled. Through use of our RNA Centre of Excellence we will identify key factors in saRNA manufacturing to fine-tune and accelerate the process of saRNA transcription in batch processes, pioneering the path to the more efficient production of future saRNA vaccines.”

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-numbers-offered-flu-vaccine-as-those-with-flu-and-covid-19-more-likely-to-die

Media contacts:

VaxEquity

Dr Tim Sparey
Managing Director
[email protected]

Centre for Process Innovation

Eddie Steinson
Senior Press Officer
[email protected]

Scius Communications

Katja Stout
+447789435990
[email protected]

Daniel Gooch
+447747875479
[email protected]

About VaxEquity

VaxEquity is a UK biotechnology company developing next generation self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) therapeutics and vaccines. The Company uses its next-generation multifunctional RNA platform to modulate the innate immune system for optimum therapeutic or vaccine effects. Its innovative platform can co-express innate inhibitory proteins to suppress the degradation of self-amplifying RNA in order to optimise its therapeutic effect. This has the potential to overcome current challenges in the field by enabling RNA therapeutics to be effective at a lower dose and with less frequent dosing. The flexibility of the Company’s platform ensures that its assets can be designed, developed, and manufactured rapidly and at scale.

VaxEquity was founded in 2020 by Professor Robin Shattock, the Head of Immunology of Infection at Imperial College London and is led by a world class team who are pioneers in the field of RNA. The Company partnered with AstraZeneca to progress its saRNA platform across multiple disease areas. The Company is based in Cambridge Science Park.

To learn more about VaxEquity please visit www.vaxequity.com and follow our LinkedIn & Twitter.

About Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)

We catalyse the adoption of advanced technologies and manufacturing solutions to benefit people, places and our planet.  

CPI connects the dots within the innovation ecosystem to make great ideas and inventions a reality to benefit people, places and planet. We’re a pioneering social enterprise that accelerates the development, scale-up and commercialisation of deep tech and sustainable manufacturing solutions. Through our incredible innovation experts and infrastructure, we look beyond the obvious to transform healthcare and drive towards a sustainable future.     

As a trusted partner of industry, academia, government, and the investment community, we’re the catalyst for delivering smart AgriFoodTech, energy storage, HealthTech, materials, and pharma innovations. We believe by working together we can build a better collective future, and as part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, we facilitate access to world-class organisations to deliver transformation across industries.     

Creating lasting global impact from the North of England and Scotland, we invest in people and disruptive technologies to invigorate economies, create circular supply chains and make our world a better place. Let’s innovate together: uk-cpi.com