Based on our previous clinical data in oncology and infectious diseases, DPX-COVID-19 has the potential to improve the duration of the immune response and protect older adults and vulnerable individuals.
The Company has used sequences of the virus and immunoinformatics to predict and identify several hundred epitopes, of which 23 were selected for their biological relevance to the virus and potential to generate neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
Peptide epitopes are information molecules that can direct our immune system against targeted areas exposed on the surface of a virus. There are typically thousands of epitopes on viruses, but few have the potential to effectively neutralize and prevent the infection. IMV’s researchers utilized predicted epitopes from the literature and selected peptide epitopes representing the most promising immunological “Achilles heel” of the coronavirus.
IMV has formulated selected peptide epitopes with its DPX platform which has a unique mechanism of action and activates a targeted and sustained immune response. The benefit of this targeted and prolonged delivery is a potential increase in safety and efficacy by exclusively focusing the attack of the immune system onto the spike proteins of the virus.
IMV’s selected vaccine candidate is designed to target non-overlapping neutralizing epitopes with the potential to act synergistically on 3 different key mechanisms of infection of the virus (see the picture above).
DPX-COVID-19 utilizes a multi-target approach, to optimize immune response against virus’ weaknesses, enhance efficacy at preventing infection, and reduce the potential for immune escape, even in case of a virus mutation.
The DPX platform is formulated with small peptides that are present at the surface of the virus. DPX-COVID-19 has the potential to generate a targeted and sustained immune response against these peptides and eliminate the virus with expected limited side effects. It has the potential to be used widely, including aged adults and people with weakened immune systems and long-term health problems.
Conventional vaccines typically use the whole virus (live-attenuated or inactivated) to trigger an immune response. Since viruses have a complex structure, it is difficult to know which elements generate the immune response. Conventional vaccines have some limitations and may induce unwanted immune-related side effects, especially in people with weakened immune systems, long-term health problems, or people who’ve had an organ transplantii.
The benefit of a targeted and prolonged approach is a potential increase in safety and efficacy by exclusively focusing the attack of the immune system onto the weaknesses of the virus.
The Company is currently working on a manufacturing method that will allow handling in a lyophilized formulation that can be stored at 2°- 8°C and room temperature for at least 3 months, allowing for long term stability and cold chain management with existing infrastructure.
All DPX-based therapies are fully synthetic, which means that there are no biologic components in the formulation and does not require any biologic manufacturing processes.
The Company has worked on a manufacturing method that will allow handling in a lyophilized formulation that can be stored at 2°- 8°C and room temperature for at least 3 months, allowing for long-term stability and cold chain management with existing infrastructure.
Information updated on May 25, 2020
