WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Selecta Biosciences, innovator of immune targeting Synthetic Vaccine Particles (SVP™), has been awarded Technology Pioneer 2014 by the World Economic Forum. Selecta is one of 36 emerging technology companies from around the world and across all industries recognized for their potential to make a global impact based on groundbreaking technology.
Selecta has established its SVP platform to develop novel vaccines and immunotherapeutics to address two priorities in global health: advanced medicines that offer broader prevention and treatment of serious diseases with unmet needs; and advanced medicines that offer compelling economics to readily enable distribution and use by patients in both developed and emerging countries.
SVP technology mimics naturally-occurring pathogens to provide targeted signals to the body’s immune system resulting in more efficacious and specific therapies. SVP’s innovative manufacturing process permits the use of particle components and characteristics that are optimized for a wide range of therapeutic areas where the immune system plays an important role. Selecta has drug candidate programs for malaria, cancer, smoking cessation, type-1 diabetes and life-threatening allergies.
As part of its business strategy, Selecta is developing product properties that enable global vaccine access by emphasizing external partnerships, technology transfer, and product stability. The company’s recent global initiatives include a partnership with Sanofi, the world largest vaccine maker, and the establishment of Selecta’s research and manufacturing operation in Moscow, Russia, adding to the company’s initial operations near Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
“We are honored by this prestigious recognition from the World Economic Forum,” said Werner Cautreels, PhD, President and CEO of Selecta Biosciences. “We will continue to be committed to our steadfast goal to have a dramatic positive impact on improving global health through Selecta’s innovations as well as through strong partnerships with companies, foundations, academic institutions and investors across the globe.”
About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum is tied to no political, partisan or national interests (www.weforum.org).
About Selecta
Selecta Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an entirely new class of targeted vaccines that induces an antigen-specific immune activation or antigen-specific immune tolerance for therapeutic and prophylactic applications. Selecta was founded based on complementary research by three academic pioneers, the technology innovations of Professors Robert Langer and Omid Farokhzad combined with the immunological insights of Professor Ulrich von Andrian. Selecta's proprietary Synthetic Vaccine Particle (SVP™) platform creates a new paradigm in vaccine development, enabling completely new therapeutic and prophylactic applications while offering the potential of improved efficacy and safety profiles.
Selecta’s fully synthetic engineering of novel vaccines offers a number of compelling benefits, including flexible modular vaccine design and accelerated development timelines using robust manufacturing processes. Selecta’s SVP™ platform technology is readily adaptable to enable diverse vaccines and the company has created antigen-specific targeted Synthetic Vaccine Particles (tSVP™) and antigen-specific targeted tolerogenic Synthetic Vaccine Particles (t2SVP™).
Targeted Synthetic Vaccine Particles (tSVP™) activate immune responses to a wide array of relevant antigens, including small molecules, peptides, oligosaccharides, and proteins. These particles can target humoral or cellular pathways of the immune system. Examples for applications include cancer, infectious diseases and addiction. Targeted tolerogenic Synthetic Vaccine Particles (t2SVP™) are designed to induce antigen-specific immune tolerance. Examples for applications include autoimmune diseases, allergies, protein replacement therapies, and transplant rejection.
Selecta’s pipeline currently contains vaccines for smoking cessation, malaria, and universal influenza and tolerogenic immunotherapies for type-1 diabetes and allergies. Building on the company’s novel approach, Selecta’s product candidates have the potential to become first-in-class or best-in-class therapeutics to treat and prevent diseases. Selecta Biosciences, Inc. is based in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA. For more information, please visit www.selectabio.com.
