Orexo and Abera Partner to Develop Nasal Powder Vaccines

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Editor's note: this story was originally published on BioPharmInternational.com.

Orexo, a Sweden-based commercial-stage pharmaceutical company, announced on Dec. 17, 2024, that it has entered into a collaboration with Abera Bioscience (Abera), a Sweden-based platform and vaccine developer. Under the agreement, the companies will use AmorphOX, Orexo’s powder-based drug delivery technology, to develop mucosal vaccine candidates based on Abera's vaccine platform. This collaboration will be funded by Abera through grants it has previously received, mainly from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI).

The AmorphOX technology is designed to improve properties of new or existing drugs. The technology aims to develop formulations that aid in significantly stabilizing active ingredients to enable alternative and more effective routes of administration. AmorphOX-based formulations are applicable for a range of active ingredients, from small molecules and peptides to larger biomolecules, such as vaccines, according to a company press release (1).

Orexo and Abera’s partnership will develop powder-based intranasal vaccine candidates with a focus on Abera's influenza vaccine candidate. Because an intranasal influenza vaccine has potential to easily and effectively reduce the spread of infections and prevent disease, they can play a significant role in controlling potential future pandemics.

“Influenza is a family of viruses that could mutate and cause the next pandemic, but seasonal influenza is already a major problem where vaccines are often not effective enough. Orexo has an impressive knowledge and technology for powder formulations of medicines that perfectly complements our expertise in vaccine development. Their innovative technology, AmorphOX, has shown to improve the properties of a wide range of different active ingredients. There is therefore great potential in this area, and we will be able to take many important development steps in the coming year,” said Maria Alriksson, CEO, Abera Bioscience, in the press release (1).

In a historical context, an influenza pandemic in 1918 caused at least 20 million deaths (2). Controlling another influenza pandemic will depend on innovations in vaccine production, according to researchers (3). A long-term goal for influenza vaccination should rely on a more universal vaccine, but there remains debate as to what exact traits a universal vaccine should have. A universal vaccine against all epidemic and pandemic viruses is not realistic, however, but having a vaccine that covers more drift variants may mean there could be less need for vaccine updates and a reduced need for yearly vaccinations, researchers note (4).

“Abera has an innovative and promising vaccine platform for the development of mucosal vaccines, as confirmed by their recent funding from CEPI. The collaboration is fully in line with our strategic development of the AmorphOX platform, and, through collaborations, we can showcase the potential and value of our technology. We look forward to working with Abera, where our experience and technologies are highly complementary,” said Robert Rönn, senior vice-president and head of R&D at Orexo, in the press release (1).

References

1. Orexo. Orexo Enters into Collaboration with Abera to Develop Nasal Powder Vaccines Based on the Amorphox Technology. Press Release. Dec. 17, 2024.
2. Crosby, A.W. America’s Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918; Cambridge University Press, 1989.
3. Kilbourne, E. D. Influenza Pandemics: Can We Prepare for the Unpredictable? Viral Immunol. 2004, 17 (3). DOI: 10.1089/vim.2004.17.350
4. Kim, H.; Webster, R. G.; Webby, R. J. Influenza Virus: Dealing with a Drifting and Shifting Pathogen. Viral Immunol. 2018, 21 (2). DOI: 10.1089/vim.2017.0141