PARIS & TOULOUSE, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LinKinVax, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced the manufacture and bottling of a GMP batch of its next generation pan-sarbecovirus vaccines, known as PanCov, designed to prevent COVID-19 and other known coronavirus diseases.
This new protein-based vaccine is unique because it targets sequences of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, as well as sequences common to other coronaviruses. Its aim is to induce broad and long-lasting immune responses.
PanCov falls within the WHO’s booster vaccination strategy for the world's health systems. The objective of this health policy is to avoid a resurgence of the pandemic and its medico-economic consequences on world population. This strategy led to the creation by the US of the NextGen programme defining the requirements of next generation COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines must be multi-variant, long-lasting, and both easy and cheaper to manufacture and store, and PanCov meets all these criteria.
André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, President and Co-Founder of LinKinVax, declared: “Our ambition is to develop a robust and long-lasting vaccine with a booster effect, effective on the multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2, as well as on other coronaviruses to prevent the emergence of new pandemics. The data collected during the production process with GTP Bioways will help us accelerate the production of new vaccines generated by our innovative platform. The use and training of the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tools on these databases, which we will continue to enrich, form an integral part of LinKinVax's differentiation strategy to accelerate the production of effective vaccine solutions in the event of a pandemic.”
Alain Sainsot, President of GTP Bioways, added: “Our teams in Toulouse and Saint-Julien-en-Genevoix are delighted to have concluded in a timely and efficient manner the collaboration with LinKinVax announced in March 2022, that led to the production of the first GMP batch of this next generation COVID-19 vaccine. This partnership highlights the ability of the French industry to provide solutions to unmet global health needs. André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, CEO of LinKinVax, has also personally helped our digital strategy by putting us in touch with global AI leaders, to boost our biomanufacturing offer and position GTP Bioways at the cutting edge of innovation.”
“Fareva is proud of its contribution to the production of a next generation COVID-19 vaccine, in partnership with key players. The achievement of this first milestone illustrates the industry’s excellence in the development and production of highly innovative healthcare products, and confirms its international standing,” added Alexandre Bastit, CEO of Business Unit Pharma and API at FAREVA.
The release of the PanCov GMP batch with compliance validation and toxicology results is expected in Q3 2023, and the clinical trials are due to start early 2024.
The PanCov vaccine was designed in France by the centre of excellence Vaccine Research Institute (VRI/INSERM/UPEC), founded and directed by Prof. Yves Lévy, and developed by LinKinVax with the support of Bpifrance as part of the PSPC Evidence Project and the French Investing for the Future Programme (PIA).
About the LinKinVax technology
LinKinVax’s vaccine platform is based on a humanised monoclonal antibody that binds to the pathogen’s regions of interest and targets CD40 molecules expressed by dendritic cells (DC), which play a key role in immune stimulation. Studies have demonstrated the advantages of this strategy, including the small quantity of antigens required to activate the immune system, with or without an adjuvant, and an ability to generate a lasting cellular and humoral immune response. This platform also uses the extensive safety data of protein-based vaccines, accumulated for over 30 years. Three products are or will be entering clinical trials: a prophylactic HIV vaccine currently in phase I/IIa, a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine targeting the variants of interest, and a therapeutic vaccine against papillomavirus-related head and neck cancer. Our SARS-CoV-2 vaccine targets areas other than the Spike protein, and thus induces an immunity against the whole Sarbecovirus subgenus.
