Vaxxas expands work with US Govt agency BARDA for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine

Vaxxas, a clinical-stage biotechnology company commercialising a needle-free vaccination platform, will receive AU$3.2 million (US$2 million) from the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to accelerate its work advancing the Vaxxas high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) technology for administration of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.

The funding has been awarded to Vaxxas after it was named a Concept Stage winner of BARDA’s $50 million Patch Forward Prize. The Patch Forward Prize is a multi-stage competition launched by BARDA to specifically accelerate the commercialisation of microarray patch-based RNA vaccines for COVID-19, seasonal influenza and pandemic influenza.

Vaxxas will collaborate with The University of Queensland’s mRNA research and manufacturing BASE facility, a co-applicant on Vaxxas’ application, to advance this program during 2025.

Vaxxas CEO David Hoey said, “We’re honoured to have our world-leading microarray patch technology chosen to be part of this important BARDA-led public health initiative to accelerate new vaccine technologies.

“We’re excited about the potential for our technology to play an important role in effectively protecting populations against dangerous respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19.”

Vaxxas is currently partnering with BARDA on an AU$43 million (US$28.5 million) IND-enabled Phase I clinical study for a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine. The study involves 258 participants.

In parallel, Vaxxas has been progressing its work in mRNA vaccines through an AU$6.4 million (US$4.3 million) project funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), focused on developing Vaxxas’ needle-free vaccination platform to overcome frozen storage requirements of mRNA vaccines.

Early studies have shown the Vaxxas HD-MAP technology has the potential to overcome challenges faced by traditional needle and syringe delivery methods, including having the potential to reduce the need for cold-chain storage and distribution¹, which currently limits the availability of mRNA vaccines.

HD-MAP delivery also has the potential to enable self-administration, which could help increase the speed and breadth of vaccination, particularly in a future pandemic situation.¹

^{1. Baker, B., Hacker, E., Siller, G., Lee, M., Mursaliyev, N., & Forster, A. (2023). Evaluation of the self-administration potential of high-density microarray patches to human skin: A preliminary study. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/21645515.2023.2189409}

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