Research programme: COVID-2019 vaccines - HaloVax/Massachusetts General Hospital
Alternative Names: HaloVax™ - HaloVax/Massachusetts General Hospital; SAV - HaloVax/Massachusetts General Hospital; Self-Assembling Vaccine - HaloVax/Massachusetts General HospitalLatest Information Update: 17 Jun 2021
At a glance
- Originator HaloVax; Massachusetts General Hospital
- Class COVID-19 vaccines; Peptide vaccines
- Mechanism of Action Immunostimulants
-
Orphan Drug Status
No
Orphan designation is assigned by a regulatory body to encourage companies to develop drugs for rare diseases.
- New Molecular Entity No
Highest Development Phases
- Preclinical COVID 2019 infections
Most Recent Events
- 17 Jun 2021 Hoth Therapeutics announces intention to complete IND-enabling studies in 2021
- 09 Feb 2021 Voltron Therapeutics initiates preclinical studies for COVID-2019 infections (Prevention) in USA (Parenteral)
- 09 Feb 2021 Voltron Therapeutics initiates preclinical studies for COVID-2019 infections in USA (Parenteral)
Development Overview
Introduction
A pipeline of COVID-2019 vaccine candidates are being jointly developed by HaloVax (a joint venture of Voltron Therapeutics and Hoth Therapeutics), and Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), to prevent, intercept or treat COVID-2019 infections. The company intends to utilise VaxCelerate, a self-assembling vaccine (SAV) platform, exclusively licensed by Voltron from the VIC at MGH, for the development of the vaccine candidates. The two lead vaccine candidates are built on a base of a heat shock protein (HSP70) bound at high affinity to the immunogenic peptides from the COVID-2019 virus via Avidin and Biotin. Preclinical development is underway in the US.
The bacterial heat shock protein (HSP70) portion of the vaccine is extremely potent at presenting vaccine antigens to immune cells, resulting in both antibody and cell-mediated immunity. The avidin portion of the vaccine enables rapid iteration and change in the antigen to enable rapid production and accommodate potential changes in the pathogen, or new evolving pathogens. The vaccine focuses on both DNA and internal / external mutated proteins providing the immune system with more potential targets to attack.
Company Agreements
In March 2020, HaloVax entered into a licensing agreement with Hoth Therapeutics, to advance an application of a self-assembling vaccine (SAV) platform from the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The agreement is to develop a vaccine designed to protect patients at risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. Hoth shall be granted the right for receiving single digit royalties from the sale of any products developed, with the right to acquire up to a 30% equity interest in HaloVax. [1] [2]
In April 2020, HaloVax, signed a Sponsored Research Agreement with the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), for the co-development of a Self-Assembling Vaccine designed to protect patients at risk of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. The agreement intends to boost candidate development and animal model testing of the vaccine. [2]
In April 2020, Voltron Therapeutics entered into a a Sponsored Research Agreement with the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The goal of the collaboration is to co-develop a new vaccine designed to protect patients at risk of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, leveraging the Self-Assembling Vaccine (SAV) platform developed by the VIC and licensed exclusively to Voltron [3]
Key Development Milestones
In February 2021, Voltron Therapeutics announced that it has initiated second set of preclinical animal testing Self-Assembling Vaccine (SAV) against COVID-2019 infections. These studies will investigate an updated construct, on the basis of the previous testings, so as to ascertain an optimum balance of immune responses to prevent COVID-2019 infections [4] .
In July 2020, Voltron Therapeutics announced that HaloVax initiated preclinical animal testing Self-Assembling Vaccine (SAV) against COVID-2019 infections. Proof-of-concept mouse model data supported an immune response is achieved after inoculation. Voltron plans to take two different vaccines, with differing sets of targets into preclinical testing, to identify the best balance of immune responses for prevention of this pandemic pathogen [5] .
In April 2020, Hoth Therapeutics announced its intention to initiate clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine.
In April 2020, Hoth Therapeutics announced the selection of two lead vaccine candidates for animal testing [6] .
Drug Properties & Chemical Synopsis
- Route of administration Parenteral
- Formulation unspecified
- Class COVID-19 vaccines, Peptide vaccines
- Mechanism of Action Immunostimulants
-
WHO ATC code
J07B-X (Other viral vaccines)
-
EPhMRA code
J7E9 (All other viral vaccines)
Development Status
Summary Table
| Indication | Qualifier | Patient Segment | Phase | Countries | Route / Formulation | Developers | Event Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COVID 2019 infections | - | - | Preclinical | USA | Parenteral / unspecified | HaloVax, Massachusetts General Hospital | 03 Jun 2020 |
| COVID 2019 infections | - | Prevention | Preclinical | USA | Parenteral / unspecified | HaloVax, Massachusetts General Hospital | 03 Jun 2020 |
Commercial Information
Involved Organisations
| Organisation | Involvement | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital | Originator | USA |
| HaloVax | Originator | USA |
| HaloVax | Owner | USA |
| Massachusetts General Hospital | Owner | USA |
| Hoth Therapeutics | Collaborator | USA |
| Voltron Therapeutics | Collaborator | USA |
Future Events
| Expected Date | Event Type | Description | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2021 | Trial Update | Hoth Therapeutics announces intention to complete IND-enabling studies in 2021 [7] | 17 Jun 2021 |
| 31 Mar 2021 | Trial Update | Halovax and Massachusetts General Hospital plans trial in humans for COVID-19 infections in late 2020 or early 2021 [8] | 03 Jul 2020 |
| 30 Sep 2020 | Trial Update | Voltron Therapeutics and Massachusetts General Hospital plans to enter into animal testing this quarter [8] | 13 Jul 2020 |
| 02 May 2020 | Trial Update | HaloVax and Massachusetts General Hospital plan preclinical development in COVID-2019 infections by May 2020 [2] | 07 Jun 2020 |
Development History
| Event Date | Update Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2021 | Trial Update | Hoth Therapeutics announces intention to complete IND-enabling studies in 2021 [7] Updated 17 Jun 2021 |
| 09 Feb 2021 | Trial Update | Voltron Therapeutics initiates preclinical studies for COVID-2019 infections (Prevention) in USA (Parenteral) [4] Updated 11 Feb 2021 |
| 09 Feb 2021 | Trial Update | Voltron Therapeutics initiates preclinical studies for COVID-2019 infections in USA (Parenteral) [4] Updated 11 Feb 2021 |
| 08 Jul 2020 | Trial Update | HaloVax initiates preclinical animal testing for COVID-19 infections in USA [5] Updated 13 Jul 2020 |
| 09 Jun 2020 | Trial Update | Voltron Therapeutics and Massachusetts General Hospital plans to enter into animal testing this quarter [8] Updated 13 Jul 2020 |
| 09 Jun 2020 | Trial Update | Halovax and Massachusetts General Hospital plans trial in humans for COVID-19 infections in late 2020 or early 2021 [8] Updated 03 Jul 2020 |
| 03 Jun 2020 | Phase Change - Preclinical | Preclinical trials in COVID-2019 infections (Prevention) in USA (Parenteral) Updated 07 Jun 2020 |
| 03 Jun 2020 | Phase Change - Preclinical | Preclinical trials in COVID-2019 infections in USA (Parenteral) Updated 07 Jun 2020 |
| 02 Apr 2020 | Trial Update | HaloVax and Massachusetts General Hospital plan preclinical development in COVID-2019 infections by May 2020 [2] Updated 07 Jun 2020 |
| 02 Apr 2020 | Licensing Status | Voltron Therapeutics signs sponsored research agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital to develop vaccine for COVID-2019 infections [3] Updated 08 Apr 2020 |
| 02 Apr 2020 | Licensing Status | HaloVax signs sponsored research agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital to develop vaccine for COVID-2019 infections [2] Updated 07 Apr 2020 |
| 24 Mar 2020 | Phase Change | Early research in COVID-2019 infections in USA (Parenteral) Updated 07 Apr 2020 |
| 24 Mar 2020 | Trial Update | HaloVax plans a preclinical trial for COVID-19 infections Updated 07 Apr 2020 |
| 23 Mar 2020 | Licensing Status | HaloVax in-licenses self-assembling vaccine (SAV) platform from Massachusetts General Hospital [1] [2] Updated 07 Apr 2020 |
| 23 Mar 2020 | Phase Change | Early research in COVID-2019 infections (Prevention) in USA (Parenteral) Updated 07 Apr 2020 |
References
-
HaloVax(Tm) Announces Agreement with Hoth Therapeutics to Joint Develop a Self-Assembling Vaccine (SAV) to Protect Patients at Risk of Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection.
Media Release -
Hoth Update on HaloVax Partnership Vaccine to Fight COVID-19 with Sponsored Research Agreement with the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center (VIC) of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
Media Release -
Voltron Therapeutics, Inc. Enters into Sponsored Research Agreement with The Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital to Develop Potential COVID-19 Vaccine.
Media Release -
Voltron Therapeutics, Inc. Initiates Additional Animal Testing of Self-Assembling Vaccine in Fight Against COVID-19.
Media Release -
Voltron Therapeutics, Inc. Initiates Animal Testing of Self-Assembling Vaccine in Fight Against COVID-19.
Media Release -
Hoth Therapeutics, Inc., Voltron Therapeutics, Inc., & HaloVax Announce Selection of the First of Two Sets of Virus Targeting Peptides for Animal Testing in the Development of a COVID-19 Vaccine.
Media Release -
HOTH Therapeutics SEC Report 2021. Internet-Doc 2021;.
Available from: URL: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1711786/000121390021015764/f10k2020_hoththerapeuticsinc.htm -
Voltron Therapeutics, Inc. Enters into Sponsored Research Agreement with The Vaccine & Immunotherapy Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital to Advance the Development of a Personalized Cancer Vaccine.
Media Release
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