BRATISLA, SLOVAKIA, Oct. 6 / PRNewswire / – – The new ACvac1 peptide vaccine produced high levels of antibodies in vaccinated mice.
– the antibodies generated completely neutralized the living SARS-CoV-2 virus.
– No evidence of unintended effects or adverse reactions was observed in the vaccinated mice.
– These results put Axon in a strong position to enter Phase I clinical trials in the final quarter of 2020.
AXON Neuroscience SE (“Axon”), a clinical stage biotech company pioneering neurodegenerative diseases with a unique peptide vaccine platform, reported positive preclinical results for ACvac1, its vaccine candidate against the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV 2, known. This important preclinical study confirmed the vaccine’s effectiveness against live SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Initially, mice vaccinated with ACvac1 generated high levels of antibodies in the blood. These antibodies selectively targeted a specific, sensitive part of the spike protein that allows the virus to infect the cells and replicate itself. Second, we showed that the antibodies produced efficiently neutralized the live SARS-CoV-2 virus. Neutralization was tested by examining whether the blood of recently vaccinated mice could prevent cell infection when cells were exposed in vitro to SARS-CoV-2. Third, the vaccinated mice showed no evidence of unintended effects or adverse reactions.
“We identified the weakest points of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and instructed the immune system to attack these small areas of up to 20 amino acids in order to completely eliminate the virus infection. The data from the virus neutralization test showed that our strategy was successful . ACvac1 instructs the immune system very precisely how to neutralize the virus. In contrast, other vaccine candidates overwhelm the immune system with information by producing numerous ineffective antibodies by introducing a 1200 amino acid spike protein as an antigen, “said Norbert Zilka , MVD, DSc, Chief Science Officer at Axon.
“With positive results today, our peptide-based vaccination platform has proven to be a useful tool against COVID-19. We are advancing clinical trials to deliver a vaccine to the world without compromising safety and effectiveness. This work is based has more than ten years of experience developing exceptionally safe and immunogenic peptide vaccines for neurodegenerative diseases, “said Michal Fresser, Chief Executive Officer of Axon.
About ACvac1 (COVIDAX), Axon’s peptide vaccine candidate against COVID-19
ACvac1 is a prophylactic COVID-19 vaccine used to protect healthy people from infection. The vaccine contains only key elements of the virus spike (S) glycoprotein, which is able to induce desirable immune responses that prevent the virus from interacting with its target host cells, thereby preventing the cells from becoming infected and preventing the virus from multiplying .
In developing ACvac1, Axon benefits from its experience in developing safe and effective immunotherapy for neurodegenerative diseases in elderly patients, a group that is very susceptible to COVID-19. Elderly people are often neglected by other vaccine candidates in the race to develop an effective vaccine, and the side effects do not allow the higher doses to be used, which is necessary to produce adequate levels of antibodies in elderly people who have compromised immune systems. In its previous clinical studies on neurodegenerative diseases, Axon has already proven that its vaccination platform can trigger a sufficiently high antibody response even in people over the age of 70.
Axon’s peptide-based approach is designed to prevent undesirable serious side effects seen in studies of novel nucleic acid or conventional vaccine candidates for SARS-CoV-2. Axon plans to start the first human trials as early as the fourth quarter of 2020.
About Axon Neuroscience
Axon Neuroscience is an industry leading clinical stage biotech company and a leader in peptide-based vaccines against deadly human diseases. Founded in 1999, the company now has the largest team in the world dedicated solely to developing peptide vaccines for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Axon’s lead vaccine, AADvac1, represents the most clinically advanced tau therapy for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. In late 2019, Axon successfully completed a phase 2 clinical trial in nearly 200 Alzheimer’s patients that demonstrated excellent safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy. The results of his clinical studies in Alzheimer’s disease have shown that his peptide-based vaccine platform is very safe and well tolerated. Over 80% of the Alzheimer’s patients treated showed an exceptional immune response and generated a robust amount of antibodies. The therapy was able to significantly slow down the neurodegenerative process in treated patients – by almost 60%.
Axon’s extensive knowledge of manufacturing safe and immunogenic vaccines and established scalable technology enabled the company to move very quickly in the development of its new peptide vaccine against COVID-19.
Media inquiries
George Salapa
AXON Neuroscience
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Original content by: AXON Neuroscience SE, transmitted by news aktuell
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