US-based biopharmaceutical firm VBI Vaccines (VBI) and GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) have entered into a research collaboration to evaluate VBI’s LPV Platform, which helps in the development of vaccines and biologics with improved stability and preserved potency.
Financial and further terms of the collaboration were not disclosed by both the companies.
As part of the deal, which is aimed at enhancing vaccine stability, GSK has the option to negotiate an exclusive license to VBI’s LPV Platform for use in a defined field.
According to VBI, stability is a critical issue potentially affecting vaccine potency, safety and ultimately patient access.
The LPV platform uses a formulation and process to enclose and protect the antigen (active component) of a vaccine or biologic.
VBI president and CEO Jeff Baxter said: "With our partners, we seek to develop a next generation of vaccines and biologics with improved stability characteristics that allow for consistently safe and effective administration in both established and emerging markets.
"We’re thrilled to be working with GlaxoSmithKline, a leading global healthcare company, to explore the potential of the LPV technology to their pipeline. This collaboration further validates the significant potential of our LPV Platform."
So far, the US firm has completed proof of concept studies on a number of vaccine and biologic targets that show the LPV Platform’s ability to preserve potency under stress conditions.
VBI is focused on developing new technologies that seek to expand vaccine protection in large underserved markets and its eVLP Platform allows for the design of enveloped (e) virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines that closely mimic the target virus.
Glaxosmithkline Biologicals researches, develops, manufactures and supplies vaccines, which are used to tackle various diseases such as rabies, diphtheria, tetanus, and yellow fever, as well as polio, measles, mumps, and rubella and hepatitis B.
