VaxEquity and CPI Announces Innovate UK Grant to Accelerate Next Generation RNA Vaccines and Therapeutics

VaxEquity, developing transformative RNA vaccines and therapeutics based on its next-generation self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) platform, and CPI, the UK’s leading independent technology innovation centre, has announced a grant of approximately £700K from Innovate UK. The grant will fund a collaborative project to advance the manufacturing process for RNA vaccines and therapeutics.

The project will test optimised conditions for scalability in the manufacturing of saRNA with plans to progress a candidate influenza vaccine rapidly into clinical trials. Flu is responsible for approximately 11,000 deaths each year in England and hospitalises many more.

Dr. Tim Sparey, Managing Director at VaxEquity, said: “The potential of nucleic acids as vaccines and therapeutics is only just being realised. This powerful collaboration with CPI, fuelled by Innovate UK, starts with a giant step forward in scaling the manufacturing of a novel saRNA influenza vaccine. With our combined skill and capabilities, we plan to proceed into preclinical and clinical development to bring the world real benefit in the fight against flu. This collaboration will identify, establish, and protect an optimised process for saRNA manufacture which should open up the global horizon to many future vaccine and therapeutics.”

Brendan Fish, Director of Biologics & RNA Centre of Excellence at the CPI said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with RNA experts at VaxEquity to help ensure the promise of the post-pandemic push for global RNA vaccines is fulfilled. Through use of our RNA Centre of Excellence we will identify key factors in saRNA manufacturing to fine-tune and accelerate the process of saRNA transcription in batch processes, pioneering the path to the more efficient production of future saRNA vaccines.”