Intravacc, Cristal Therapeutics Collaborate on Novel Vaccine Platforms

Global contract developer of vaccines, Intravacc, and technology specialist, Cristal Therapeutics, have entered into a strategic collaboration for the development of novel vaccine programs against human diseases with the initial candidate targeting COVID-19.

According to a Jan 6, 2021 press release, the agreement will see the two companies collaborate initially on CriVac—a vaccine candidate based on the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Additionally, Cristal Therapeutics will provide CliCr, its class of fast-reacting molecular entities for conjugating compounds, for evaluation with Intravacc’s outer membrane vesicles (OMV) technology. Once the evaluation has been completed, the companies will further explore next steps for the program.

“Over the past year, it has become evident that vaccines play a crucial role in protecting us, our families and those at high risk for infectious diseases. We have put great effort in optimizing our unique CriVac platform based on our CriPec nanoparticles and CliCr conjugation technology,” said Axel Mescheder, CEO and CMO of Cristal Therapeutics, in the press release. “Our CriVac technology platform mimics features of a live virus, inducing immunity in a safe and efficient way, providing a solid foundation for the development of novel vaccine approaches. We look forward to partnering with Intravacc to develop novel therapeutic candidates for vaccine-preventable diseases.”

“Intravacc shares the belief that no one should be suffering from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. We have a track record in translational vaccinology and an established infrastructure that enables the accelerated development of promising vaccine candidates such as Cristal’s CriVac approach,” added Dr. Jan Groen, Intravacc’s CEO, in the press release. “Combining Cristal’s technologies with Intravacc’s proprietary LPS and OMV technologies holds great promise. We look forward to working closely with the Cristal team to advance the program through preclinical evaluation.”

Source: Intravacc