BRISBANE, Australia & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vaxxas, a clinical-stage biotechnology company commercializing a novel high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) vaccination platform, has been named a Concept Stage winner of the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA’s) $50 million Patch Forward Prize.
The Patch Forward Prize is a multi-stage competition launched by BARDA to specifically accelerate the commercialization of microarray patch-based RNA vaccines for COVID-19, seasonal influenza and pandemic influenza.
As part of the initial Concept Stage, Vaxxas will receive US$2 million (AU$3.2 million) from BARDA to accelerate its work advancing the company’s HD-MAP technology for administration of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
Vaxxas will collaborate with The University of Queensland’s world-leading mRNA research and manufacturing BASE facility, a co-applicant on Vaxxas’ application, to advance this program during 2025.
Vaccine delivery via Vaxxas’ HD-MAP offers many potential benefits over more traditional ways of administering vaccines, including the potential to reduce the need for cold-chain storage and distribution, which limits the availability of life-saving mRNA vaccines. HD-MAP delivery also has the potential to enable self-administration, which could help increase the speed and breadth of vaccination, particularly in a future pandemic situation.
Market research conducted by Vaxxas has also shown that, given a choice, consumers have a strong preference for HD-MAP delivery compared to traditional needle-and-syringe.
“We're honored to have our world-leading microarray patch technology chosen to be part of this important BARDA-led public health initiative to accelerate new vaccine technologies,” David L. Hoey, President and CEO of Vaxxas, said. “We’re excited about the potential for our technology to play an important role in effectively protecting populations against dangerous respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19.”
Vaxxas is currently conducting an IND-enabled Phase I clinical study with BARDA for a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine involving 258 participants. Additionally, the company has shown promising results in initial HD-MAP/mRNA work funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
The $50 million BARDA Patch Forward Prize is amongst the largest incentive prizes in the history of the US federal government as a part of its larger $5 billion initiative Project NextGen, focused on accelerating the development of next-generation vaccines and treatments through public-private collaborations. Following the Concept Stage announcement, the program will be accepting submissions for its Preclinical and Clinical Stages throughout 2025 and 2026.
About HD-MAP needle-free vaccines
The Vaxxas HD-MAP is comprised of thousands of microscopic projections molded into a small patch. Each microprojection is coated with a small dose of vaccine in a dried formulation. When applied to the skin using a proprietary, easy-to-use applicator, the patch delivers the vaccine to the abundant immune cells that naturally reside immediately below the skin surface.
HD-MAP vaccine delivery offers many potential benefits over more traditional ways of administering vaccines. For example, the dried form of the vaccine is more stable at higher temperatures than vaccines in liquid formulations, therefore potentially reducing the need for cold-chain storage and distribution.
Vaxxas’ HD-MAPs have proven safe and tolerable in hundreds of trial participants to date, and have been shown to induce equal or greater immune responses to injected vaccines at lower doses. Compared with needle and syringe, HD-MAP vaccines are also much easier to administer and are likely to have greater acceptability by healthcare workers and vaccine recipients.
Ultimately, HD-MAPs could enable a future in which vaccine patches could be shipped directly to peoples’ homes, workplaces, and schools, avoiding the delay, inconvenience, and safety challenges associated with traditional needle-and-syringe vaccine scheduling and administration.
About Vaxxas
Vaxxas is a privately held biotechnology company focused on enhancing the performance of existing and next-generation vaccines with its proprietary HD-MAP. Vaxxas is targeting initial applications in infectious diseases and oncology.
With success in several completed human clinical trials involving more than 500 participants; additional ongoing Phase I clinical studies for seasonal influenza and COVID-19; and other vaccine studies targeting pandemic influenza, funded by the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Vaxxas’ HD-MAP vaccine delivery platform is advancing toward commercialization.
Vaxxas’ core technology was initially developed at The University of Queensland (UQ), and the company was established as a start-up in 2011 by UQ’s commercialization group UniQuest. The company was founded with the completion of an initial equity financing led by OneVentures Innovation Fund I with co-investors Brandon Capital Partners and US-based HealthCare Ventures, followed by a further financing led by OneVentures with UQ joining the most recent financing.
OneVentures Innovation Fund I and Brandon BioCatalyst are supported by the Australian Government’s Innovation Investment Fund (IIF) program. The IIF is an Australian Government venture capital initiative that provides investment capital and managerial expertise through licensed venture capital fund managers to investee companies. Learn more at OneVentures and Brandon Capital.
About BASE
The BASE facility, located at The University of Queensland within the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, is a global leader in mRNA research and manufacture. The facility supports the development of new mRNA medicines for a wide range of clinical applications, providing end-to-end research services to design, manufacture and test new mRNA medicines. Read more about BASE
Caution
The Vaxxas HD-MAP delivered vaccines are under investigation and available only for investigational uses. They are not available anywhere in the world for sale or purchase. As such, Vaxxas makes no claim that the vaccines are reliable, durable, dependable, safe, or effective, and makes no claim that it is superior to any other vaccine or vaccine delivery technology.
