ExpreS2ion and Evaxion announce positive preclinical data for cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine program ES2B-I002
Hørsholm, Denmark, 12 November 2024 – ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB’s affiliate ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies ApS (“ExpreS2ion"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a focused pipeline of vaccine candidates targeting infectious diseases and cancer, today announced that positive new preclinical data from its ongoing cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine program collaboration with Evaxion Biotech A/S (“Evaxion”), named ES2B-I002, will be presented at the 9th International Conference on Vaccines Research & Development, in Boston, USA.
The data indicate that the antigens identified through Evaxion’s AI-Immunology™ platform and produced using ExpreS2ion’s ExpreS2™ technology successfully trigger targeted immune responses, including activation of CMV reactive B and T cells. To further enhance efficacy, Evaxion designed a prefusion gB antigen, a proven CMV vaccine component shown to offer partial protection in human trials leveraging ExpreS2ion’s platform. Preclinical data confirm that this proprietary gB antigen induces specific immune responses, similar to traditional gB antigens. The companies plan to emphasize this prefusion gB antigen in a multi-antigen vaccine approach to enhance CMV protection.
Farshad Guirakhoo, Chief Science Officer, commented
“Despite decades of research, CMV vaccines remain challenging. We’re encouraged by preclinical data showing that our ExpreS2-produced prefusion gB, designed using Evaxion’s AI, generates strong immune responses in mice. This novel antigen will likely be a key component of our upcoming multi-antigen vaccine candidate for clinical trials.”
Conference presentation details
Abstract Title: Revolutionizing Cytomegalovirus Vaccine Development with AI
Session: Novel Approaches, Technology & Delivery Platforms
Date/Time: November 12, 2024, at 09.40 EST/15.40 CET
Presenter: Gry Persson, Senior Project Manager at Evaxion
About cytomegalovirus (CMV)
According to the National Library of Medicine (August 2023), CMV infects approximately 60% to 70% of adults in developed countries and nearly 100% in developing economies, driving demand for CMV treatment. Despite decades of research, no CMV-vaccine has been approved to date. CMV treatment market size was valued at $474.6 million in 2023 and is anticipated to register an annual growth (CAGR) of 6.6% between 2024 and 2032. This growth is propelled by increasing awareness and prevalence of CMV infection, as well as the development of new and effective treatments. CMV is the most complex of all herpes viruses, and it is a widespread infection transmitted in body fluids. Once infected, the virus stays for life. People with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients, can develop severe symptoms affecting, for example, eyes, lungs, and liver, and congenitally infected babies may suffer from intellectual disability and loss of vision and hearing.
About Evaxion
Evaxion is a pioneering TechBio company based upon its AI platform, AI-Immunology™. Evaxion’s proprietary and scalable AI prediction models harness the power of artificial intelligence to decode the human immune system and develop novel immunotherapies for cancer, bacterial diseases, and viral infections. Based upon AI-Immunology™, Evaxion has developed a clinical-stage oncology pipeline of novel personalized vaccines and a preclinical infectious disease pipeline in bacterial and viral diseases with high unmet medical needs. Evaxion is committed to transforming patients’ lives by providing innovative and targeted treatment options. For additional information, please visit www.evaxion-biotech.com.
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