Matica Bio, a cell and gene therapy (CGT) contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) subsidiary of CHA Biotech, is embarking on the development of a hybrid vaccine.
Matica Bio said Monday that it will jointly develop an antiviral hybrid vaccine with US biotech firm VaxDome. The project aims to advance VaxDome's antigen-independent antiviral hybrid vaccine candidate into the clinical stage.
The antigen-independent antiviral hybrid vaccine is created by using a viral vector platform or combining the characteristics of two or more viruses. It works by activating the body's immune system to treat or prevent disease, without needing to identify or manufacture in advance and inject a specific pathogen's or cancer cell's unique target (antigen). This differs from conventional vaccines, which prevent or treat disease by targeting specific targets through predetermined antigens.
The two companies aim to develop a vaccine that can prevent a wide range of diseases, including not only already known viruses but also various as-yet-unknown viruses, extending even to lung cancer. They plan to rapidly convert selected influenza virus strains to develop a safe vaccine that can be administered nasally.
Matica Bio will be responsible for process development, analytical method development, and the production of non-GMP and cGMP clinical drug substances. Utilizing its various vector platforms, such as retrovirus (RV), lentivirus (LV), and adeno-associated virus (AAV), the company plans to support the entire vaccine development process, from early process development to clinical production.
"VaxDome's hybrid technology can be applied to the treatment and prevention of viral infections across various disease areas," said Paul Kim, CEO of Matica Bio. "We will actively support this project so that it can enter the clinical stage."
