PDS Biotech Announces Agreement with University of Georgia to License Novel Proteins for Versamune-based Universal Flu Vaccine
November 01 2021 - 8:30AM
PDS Biotechnology Corporation (Nasdaq: PDSB), a clinical-stage
immunotherapy company developing novel cancer therapies and
infectious disease vaccines based on the Company’s proprietary
Versamune® T-cell activating technology, today announced an
agreement to license COBRA (Computationally Optimized Broadly
Reactive Antigen) antigens from the University of Georgia initially
for use in the clinical development of its infectious disease
immunotherapy pipeline, PDS0202, a universal flu vaccine candidate.
“Our new agreement with the University of Georgia
demonstrates the versatility and potential of our Versamune®
platform and advances our infectious disease pipeline,” commented
PDS Biotech CEO, Frank Bedu-Addo. “There are four types of seasonal
influenza viruses, and a universal flu vaccine would eliminate the
need to manufacture a new seasonal flu vaccine each year by
providing robust, long-lasting protection against multiple subtypes
of flu. We believe this is the next step in the advancement of
novel infectious disease vaccines to address the nearly one billion
cases of influenza worldwide annually.”
Designed by renowned influenza expert, Dr. Ted Ross at the
University of Georgia, the novel COBRA antigens are to be used in
combination with Versamune® for PDS0202 for the universal
prevention of infection by multiple strains of influenza virus. The
antigens were selected following successful pre-clinical
development work completed under a contract from the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Collaborative
Influenza Vaccine Innovation Centers (CIVICs) program to progress
PDS0202 development. PDS0202 leverages Versamune®’s ability to
induce the immune system to generate high levels of flu-specific
neutralizing antibodies, CD4 helper and CD8 killer T-cells, as well
as long-acting memory T-cells to potentially provide broad and
long-term protection against multiple influenza strains. Influenza
is estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe
illness and about 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths globally
each year.“The preclinical results of the combination of COBRA
antigens and Versamune® were impressive, especially given the
unique problem in developing a universal flu vaccine,” added Dr.
Ross. “Designing a vaccine that works for many influenza strains is
the goal. We are excited to see how the PDS0202 – COBRA vaccine
performs in human trials.”
About PDS BiotechnologyPDS Biotech is a
clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a growing pipeline
of cancer immunotherapies based on the Company’s proprietary
Versamune® T-cell activating technology platform. Our
Versamune®-based products have demonstrated the potential to
overcome the limitations of current immunotherapy by inducing in
vivo, large quantities of high-quality, highly potent
polyfunctional tumor specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ killer T-cells.
PDS Biotech has developed multiple therapies, based on combinations
of Versamune® and disease-specific antigens, designed to train the
immune system to better recognize diseased cells and effectively
attack and destroy them. The company’s pipeline products address
various cancers including breast, colon, lung, prostate and ovarian
cancers. To learn more, please visit www.pdsbiotech.com or follow
us on Twitter at @PDSBiotech.
Forward Looking StatementsThis communication
contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning
of Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities
Act of 1933, as amended) concerning PDS Biotechnology Corporation
(the “Company”) and other matters. These statements may discuss
goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends,
events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise,
based on current beliefs of the Company’s management, as well as
assumptions made by, and information currently available to,
management. Forward-looking statements generally include statements
that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future
events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,”
“should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,”
“believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “forecast,” “guidance”,
“outlook” and other similar expressions among others.
Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and
assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not
guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ
materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as
a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the
Company’s ability to protect its intellectual property rights; the
Company’s anticipated capital requirements, including the Company’s
anticipated cash runway and the Company’s current expectations
regarding its plans for future equity financings; the Company’s
dependence on additional financing to fund its operations and
complete the development and commercialization of its product
candidates, and the risks that raising such additional capital may
restrict the Company’s operations or require the Company to
relinquish rights to the Company’s technologies or product
candidates; the Company’s limited operating history in the
Company’s current line of business, which makes it difficult to
evaluate the Company’s prospects, the Company’s business plan or
the likelihood of the Company’s successful implementation of such
business plan; the timing for the Company or its partners to
initiate the planned clinical trials for PDS0101, PDS0203 and other
Versamune® based products; the future success of such trials; the
successful implementation of the Company’s research and development
programs and collaborations, including any collaboration studies
concerning PDS0101, PDS0203 and other Versamune® based products and
the Company’s or monitoring committees’ or other third parties’
interpretation of the results and findings of such programs and
collaborations and whether such results are sufficient to support
the future success of the Company’s product candidates; the
success, timing and cost of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials
and anticipated clinical trials for the Company’s current product
candidates, including statements regarding the timing of
initiation, pace of enrollment, significance of milestones, and
completion of the trials (including our ability to fully fund our
disclosed clinical trials, which assumes no material changes to our
currently projected expenses), futility analyses, presentations at
conferences and data reported in an abstract, and receipt of
interim results, which are not necessarily indicative of the final
results of the Company’s ongoing clinical trials; any Company
statements about its understanding of product candidates mechanisms
of action and interpretation of preclinical and early clinical
results from its clinical development programs and any
collaboration studies; the acceptance by the market of the
Company’s product candidates, if approved; the timing of and the
Company’s ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Food and Drug
Administration or other regulatory authority approval of, or other
action with respect to, the Company’s product candidates; and other
factors, including legislative, regulatory, political and economic
developments not within the Company’s control, including unforeseen
circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations
arising from or related to COVID-19. The foregoing review of
important factors that could cause actual events to differ from
expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be
read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and
elsewhere, including the risk factors included in the Company’s
annual and periodic reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking
statements are made only as of the date of this press release and,
except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no
obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to
make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.
Media & Investor Relations Contact:Deanne
RandolphPDS BiotechPhone: +1 (908) 517-3613Email:
drandolph@pdsbiotech.com
Rich CockrellCG CapitalPhone: +1 (404) 736-3838Email:
pdsb@cg.capital
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