SpyBiotech Adds Epstein-Barr Virus Research and Development Collaboration with The University of Oxford
— Agreement to support development of a vaccine against EBV —
Oxford, UK and Cambridge, MA (May 23, 2024) — SpyBiotech, a biotechnology company with novel vaccine platform technologies that can target infectious diseases, cancer, and chronic diseases, today announced a sponsored research agreement with The University of Oxford for the development of a vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is a commonly spread virus that can lead to several serious health conditions including infectious mononucleosis and is linked to various cancers and multiple sclerosis. This research project will combine Oxford’s groundbreaking academic research capabilities with SpyBiotech’s proprietary SPYVLP platform technology in order to advance three vaccine candidates targeting EBV and test these in a Phase I clinical trial.
“This research collaboration is an important step forward on a commonly spread virus with no currently available vaccines or therapeutics for its prevention or spread,” said Mark Leuchtenberger, Chief Executive Officer of SpyBiotech. “Studies have found that EBV triggers a range of very serious health conditions including certain cancers and multiple sclerosis. A recent study led by Stanford Medicine and senior author Dr. William Robinson1 notes that 99% of MS patients have EBV antibodies in their blood, indicating prior infection. We see a great need for a vaccine against EBV.”
SpyBiotech’s novel SPYVLP vaccine platform is based on a proprietary protein “superglue” technology which binds antigens to vaccine delivery platforms in a way which minimizes delivery risk and enhances immunogenicity and efficacy. Under the terms of this agreement, SpyBiotech will provide Oxford researchers with access to the SPYVLP vaccine platform, and the Oxford team will work to advance the research into a Phase 1 clinical trial to be conducted through the University.
“We are very keen to progress these vaccine candidates that target multiple EBV antigens to Phase I clinical trials with Professor Sandy Douglas and his team at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford after seeing the promising pre-clinical data generated,” said Sumi Biswas, Ph.D., President and CSO of SpyBiotech.
The company is currently conducting a Phase I trial assessing safety and immunogenicity of its HCMV vaccine. The study features a six-month dosing schedule and is being carried out in the UK.
About Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
EBV is transmitted through saliva and is one of the most commonly spread human viruses2. Most people recover within a few weeks, but for some individuals EBV can lead to a number of health conditions including mononucleosis, meningitis, encephalitis and certain cancers3. Recent research suggests people with multiple sclerosis and some lymphomas are more likely to have been infected with the virus. There are no currently available vaccines or therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of EBV.
About SpyBiotech
SpyBiotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company with novel vaccine platform technologies to target infectious diseases, cancer and chronic diseases. The company was spun out of the University of Oxford in 2017 by Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE) and Google Ventures (GV). The company raised $32.5 million in a Series A equity financing in 2021. Based on science developed at the University of Oxford, SpyBiotech’s novel vaccine platform is based on a proprietary protein “superglue” technology which binds antigens to vaccine delivery platforms in a way which minimizes delivery risk and enhances immunogenicity and efficacy. This makes it ideal for use against infectious diseases in challenging environments, such as in the developing world, but also with potential application in non-infectious disease settings such as cancer. SpyBiotech has the exclusive rights from the University of Oxford to apply, commercialize and sub-license the SpyTag/SpyCatcher and related “superglue” technologies in vaccine development.
Reference:
1 Stanford Medicine. (2022, January 24). Study identifies how Epstein-Barr virus triggers multiple sclerosis. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2022/01/epstein-barr-virus-multiple-sclerosis.html
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 28). About Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/epstein-barr/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/epstein-barr/about-ebv.html
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020b, September 28). Epstein-Barr and mononucleosis: For Healthcare Providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/epstein-barr/hcp.html
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