AsiaNet 85265

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

EpiVax, Inc. ("EpiVax"), a Rhode Island-based company and recognized leader in

the field of computational vaccinology, today announced it has out-licensed its

COVID-19 vaccine candidate, EPV-CoV-19, to EpiVax Therapeutics ("EVT"), a New

York-based company previously named EpiVax Oncology.

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Scientists at EpiVax designed EPV-CoV-19 – a peptide-based, epitope-driven

vaccine – utilizing their validated computational toolkit (iVAX), which enabled

the selection of sequences representing all circulating SARS-CoV-2 genomes that

will drive a T cell-mediated immune response, with the goal of providing

recipients with immune system "body armor", reducing their risk of severe

COVID-19 disease.

With in-licensing the COVID-19 vaccine program, EVT is broadening its pipeline

and application of its platform beyond its clinical-stage personalized cancer

vaccine program. The venture-backed company will provide an ideal environment

for funding and development of EPV-CoV-19. The company recently re-organized

its executive team in preparation for the pipeline expansion and is raising $3M

to support the new program.

Having received a positive pre-IND response from the FDA, EVT is progressing to

a clinical trial. It has begun GMP peptide production and is preparing the IND

submission in parallel.

Michael Princiotta, CSO at EVT, said, "EVT is pleased to welcome the COVID-19

vaccine program into our pipeline. We are eager to apply our vaccine platform

and fundraising experience to advance EPV-CoV-19 into clinical trials."

Annie De Groot, CEO/CSO and cofounder of EpiVax, said, "The EpiVax team has

done a fantastic job in the preclinical research phase. We are confident that

EPV-CoV-19 will be safe and effective for frontline healthcare workers. We look

forward to working with EVT to accelerate its progress to Phase I and beyond."

About EpiVax:

EpiVax has pioneered the use of in silico immunogenicity screening toolkits for

therapeutics and vaccines. These toolkits, ISPRI and iVAX, are used for

advancing product development at a global roster of companies. See the latest

peer-reviewed publications at

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00442/full and

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01301/full for more

information about recent applications of EpiVax's in silico vaccine design and

protein therapeutic immunogenicity assessment tools.

About EVT:

EVT, founded in 2017, employs a world-leading technology, developed over 22

years by EpiVax, to design vaccines that aim to activate the body's T cells to

cure or prevent disease in the host. EVT's pipeline includes a COVID-19 vaccine

and a personalized bladder cancer vaccine.    

Press Contact:

Annie De Groot, MD CEO/CSO, EpiVax

T : 401-272-2123

E: AnnieD@epivax.com  

SOURCE EpiVax, Inc.