MOLECULAR EXPRESS, INC — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase II: NIAID

Description

DESCRIPTION provided by applicant We have demonstrated in our SBIR Phase I activities that the VesiVax r CALV vaccine and adjuvant platform technology can be successfully used to generate formulations containing Toll like Receptor TLR and agonists that elicit strong protective immunostimulatory responses in a murine pulmonary influenza challenge model With the aid of many collaborators and support from the NIAID we have demonstrated the ability of the VesiVax r system to stimulate protective immune responses in a variety of animal models and a range of antigens using our standard TLR agaonist Monophosphoryl Lipid A Currently there is an unmet need for novel potent immunostimulatory adjuvant molecule IAM formulations and the VesiVax r technology platform is designed as a highly flexible vaccine and adjuvant development system In this revised SBIR Phase II proposal we intend to expand our VesiVax r product portfolio by formulating several other IAMs and focus on further developing the VesiVax r formulations for commercial applications The Specific Aims proposed in this revised SBIR Phase II application include preparation of new VesiVax r IAM formulations and engineering scaffold proteins for less immunogenic antigens We will be testing these formulations in association with various types of antigens such as protein haptens and VLPs in the murine genital herpes simplex virus challenge model the murine nicotine addiction model the murine Chagas disease model the murine pancreatic cancer model and the guinea pig genital herpes model PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE The execution of the studies proposed in this revised SBIR Phase II application formerly the SHIFT SBIR program PA is expected to lead to several significant outcomes that may potentially be of great benefit to public health First thes studies will essentially complete the development of the VesiVax r technology platform as a highly flexible vaccine and adjuvant development system that can be easily engineered to combine multiple antigens and immunostimulatory adjuvant molecules together thus maximizing the immune response to a particular pathogen Second we anticipate that several viable vaccine candidates may possibly be identified that are suitable for advancement to clinical evaluation