Evaxion Biotech har nyligen gjort flera viktiga framsteg, inklusive ett partnerskap med Afrigen Biologics för utveckling av ett profylaktiskt vaccin mot gonorré. Bolaget har också initierat ett nytt vaccinprogram genom ett annat högprofilerat, fortfarande hemligt, samarbete. BioStock kontaktade bolagets vd Christian Kanstrup för att få veta mer.

Sedan Evaxion Biotech grundades har bolaget gått från att vara ett start-up under radarn till att bli ett bioteknikbolag i klinisk fas som har en ledande position i utvecklingen av nya vacciner mot cancer och infektionssjukdomar.

Dessa behandlingar baseras på målmolekyler som upptäckts genom Evaxions egenutvecklade AI-plattform som kallas AI-immunology. Denna plattform består av flera AI-prediktionsmodeller såsom PIONEER-modellen, som är grunden för bolagets två cancervacciner i klinisk fas, EVX-01 och EVX-02. Läs mer om dessa här.

Evaxions EDEN- och RAVEN AI-prediktionsmodeller syftar till att upptäcka mål för vacciner mot bakteriella respektive virala sjukdomar. Det danska bolagets strategi för dessa program är att ingå partnerskap för deras fortsatta utveckling. Det visar sig nu att denna strategi börjar bära frukt, eftersom Evaxion har tillkännagivit två samarbeten med ledande läkemedelsbolag relaterade till programmen för infektionssjukdomar.

Expansion av preklinisk bakteriell vaccinpipeline

Genom ett av partnerskapen, som ännu är hemligt, planerar Evaxion att utöka sin bakterievaccinpipeline. Baserat på EDEN AI-prediktionsmodellen är två vaccinkandidater, EVX-B1 och EVX-B2, redan under utveckling för skydd mot två av de farligaste bakterierna, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) och Neisseria Gonorrhoea. Det nya programmet, EVX-B3, syftar till att skapa en vaccinkandidat mot en ospecificerad bakteriepatogen. Projektet planerar att använda både Evaxions EDEN- och RAVEN AI-prediktionsmodeller för antigenupptäckt.

EVX-B3 riktar sig mot en bakteriell patogen associerad med upprepade infektioner, hög incidens och potentiellt allvarliga medicinska komplikationer. Inga vacciner finns för närvarande tillgängliga för denna patogen.

Partnerskap med Afrigen Biologics

Det andra partnerskapet är med Afrigen Biologics, ett sydafrikanskt läkemedelsbolag specialiserat sig på forskning och tillverkning av mRNA-vaccin. Detta partnerskap syftar till att utveckla vacciner mot sjukdomar som förekommer i Afrika.

I samarbetet kommer man dra nytta av Evaxions AI-kapacitet och Afrigens expertis inom vaccinutveckling för att utveckla ett profylaktiskt vaccin baserat på Evaxions EDEN-upptäckta gonorrémål.

I ett pressmeddelande uttryckte Evaxions CSO Birgitte Rønø vikten av detta samarbete:

“Detta partnerskap har potential att ta itu med ett allvarligt ouppfyllt globalt medicinskt behov mot en patogen som det för närvarande inte finns något vaccin för.”

Evaxions vd kommenterar nyheten

För att få veta mer om den senaste utvecklingens betydelse för Evaxion vände sig BioStock till bioteknikbolagets nytillträdde vd Christian Kanstrup.

Christian, how did these partnerships come about? Is it a coincidence that they were announced two days from each other or is this part of a broader strategy? 

It is actually a coincidence that these two exiting partnership announcement comes only two days apart as the business development discussion have been progressing independently. That being said, both partnerships are of course the result of the external world recognising our unique ability to swiftly and effectively identify novel vaccine targets. Our AI-immunology platform has a unique ability to only in 24 hours predict novel antigens within infectious diseases. We are very happy to see that pharma companies are starting to realise what we are capable of doing. Multi partnerships are an integrated part of our business model hence these two agreements are perfectly in line with our strategy. 

Why is the partnership with Afrigen such a big deal? 

The Afrigen partnership is very important for several reasons. First of all it offers the opportunity for bringing a novel mRNA gonorrhoea vaccine to the market in low and middle income countries thereby addressing a significant unmet need making a difference for millions of people. Further, it offers us the opportunity for validation of our EVX-B2 target in a clinical setting via a partner, just at it confirms the unique target discovery capabilities of our AI-immunilogy platform.  

Can you tell us more or less how long it will be before we know the specifics around the EVX-B3 collaboration? 

We are right now kicking off the collaboration with a great level of excitement at both ends. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to give more insights in the second half of 2024.  

How will adding a new pipeline programme affect Evaxion’s finances? 

As our partners will be funding all relevant activities, the new pipeline programs won’t negatively impact our finances. It is a very effective way of pursuing clinical validation of our infectious disease targets seen from an Evaxion point of view. In fact, both partnerships, in different ways, have the potential to mature into license agreement, positively impacting our finances. 

In late 2022, under different executive leadership, Evaxion announced a shift in strategic focus aimed at developing infectious disease treatments through partnerships rather than on your own. Recent developments reflect this business strategy. Will this approach continue under your leadership? 

Just as was the case with announcing the shift in strategic focus in late 2022, going forward our focus will be to build upon the unique asset we have in the AI-immunology platform. The platform gives us a unique ability to discover and validate novel vaccine targets making it possible to bring candidates into clinical development at a faster pace and with a lower risk. We will be leveraging the AI-immunology platform in three complementary ways: 

• Targets: Objective here will be to build multiple partnerships around novel target discovery and target validation. This could be single target agreements just like the two we recently announced or it could be a multiple target agreements. This will be the core focus and one important element in monetising our unique AI-immunology platform. We will be increasing our focus on establishing new partnerships and see the two recently announced partnerships as an important start
• Pipeline: Bring select assets into clinical development with the objective of bringing it to a key value inflection point for decision on what forward. The objectives here are both to validate the uniqueness of our AI-immunology platform as well as retain value ourselves for longer. With our EVX-01 phase I/II trial we have shown that the neogantigens PIONEER predicts directly links to progression free survival – a major milestone. Just like we are looking forward to see the phase II interim readout in Q4 this year
• Predictions: Finally we will be using our unique data and prediction capabilities to develop prediction models. Currently we are in the process of validation the prediction model we call AI-deep focussing on being able to predict responders and non-responders for check point inhibitors. If successful here it would open for a potentially interesting revenue generation potential

Along those lines, is a partnership in sight for Evaxion’s lead infectious disease programme, EVX-B1, targeting Staphylococcus Aureus? 

Across our different pipeline assets we do have multiple partnership discussions ongoing and will communicate if and when an agreement is reached.  

Having been at the helm of Evaxion for less than a month, and already supervising such developments, how does it feel to be in this position? 

It is truly exciting to have joined Evaxion. I am very impressed by all my new colleagues, all very capable and dedicated driven by the strong purpose of improving quality of life for millions of people. It is just amazing to be among so many smart colleagues. We have a unique position after having developed and refined our AI-immunology platform over the past 15 years. Now we need to ensure that we have the right strategic focus, a simple and clear communication and strong execution – and I cant wait for the journey ahead. 

Finally, what can we expect from Evaxion under your leadership? 

– You can expect a strong focus on making a difference for the many patients and people without an effective therapy today. This – improving life for people – that is what drives me and it is what builds value for all stakeholders in the long run. Then you can expect a strong focus on clear, simple and consistent strategy and execution – that is what we need now. We have many opportunities at hand but we need to focus on those where we can make the biggest difference and then we need to execute very effectively. Finally, you should expect an increasing focus on partnership agreements – we need to get our AI-immunology partnership machine up in pace. To succeed here we need to have the outside world understand the unique position with have been building over the past 15 years with our AI-immunology platform.

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