Oragenics Extends Collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada to Develop Vaccine against the Omicron Variant
December 20 2021 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Agreement extends current licensing and
collaboration agreement to include rapid production of
Omicron-specific intranasal vaccine candidates
Oragenics, Inc. (NYSE American: OGEN) (“Oragenics” or the
“Company”) today announced it has extended a licensing and
collaboration agreement with the National Research Council of
Canada (NRC) that will enable Oragenics to pursue an intranasal
vaccine designed to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
The NRC cell expression technologies provide Oragenics with a
platform that can generate cell lines for high-yield production of
spike protein antigens for existing and emerging variants of
concern. This platform should allow production of cell lines within
six to eight weeks of spike gene sequence availability, compared
with six to nine months for traditional production of such cell
lines. The NRC technologies, developed with support from the NRC’s
Pandemic Response Challenge program, will expedite the evaluation
of an Omicron-specific Terra-CoV-2 candidate in preclinical and
clinical studies.
“Oragenics is well-positioned to develop an Omicron-specific
intranasal vaccine thanks to our successful, on-going collaboration
with the NRC,” said Frederick W. Telling, Ph.D., Oragenics’
Executive Chairman. “We had anticipated the need for rapid
development of COVID-19 vaccine candidates against new variants and
can leverage the NRC cell expression platform to address Omicron
and future variants.”
Oragenics recently demonstrated the protection of hamsters
against SARS-CoV-2 with the intranasal Terra-CoV-2 candidate, which
strongly supports the further development into an IND-enabling GLP
toxicology study and a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical study.
About Oragenics, Inc.
Oragenics, Inc. is a development-stage company dedicated to
fighting infectious diseases including coronaviruses and
multidrug-resistant organisms. Its lead product is Terra CoV-2, an
intranasal vaccine candidate to prevent COVID-19 and variants of
the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Terra CoV-2 program leverages coronavirus
spike protein research licensed from the NIH and the NRC with a
focus on reducing viral transmission and offering a more
patient-friendly intranasal administration. Its lantibiotics
program features a novel class of antibiotics against bacteria that
have developed resistance to commercial antibiotics.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and
information currently available. The words "believe," "expect,"
"anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project" and similar
expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters
identify forward-looking statements. Investors should be cautious
in relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject
to a variety of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in
any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are
not limited to, the following: the Company’s ability to advance the
development of Terra CoV-2 and lantibiotics under the timelines and
in accord with the milestones it projects; the Company’s ability to
obtain funding, non-dilutive or otherwise, for the development of
the vaccine product candidate, Terra CoV-2 and our lantibiotics,
whether through its own cash on hand, or another alternative
source; the regulatory application process, research and
development stages, and future clinical data and analysis relating
to Terra CoV-2 and lantibiotics, including any meetings, decisions
by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA and investigational
review boards, whether favorable or unfavorable; the potential
application of Terra CoV-2 to variants and other coronaviruses; the
Company’s ability to obtain, maintain and enforce necessary patent
and other intellectual property protection; the nature of
competition and development relating to COVID-19 immunization and
therapeutic treatments and demand for vaccines and antibiotics; the
Company’s expectations as to administration, manufacturing, storage
and distribution; other potential adverse impacts due to the global
COVID-19 pandemic, such as delays in regulatory review,
interruptions to manufacturers and supply chains, adverse impacts
on healthcare systems and disruption of the global economy; and
general economic and market conditions and risks, as well as other
uncertainties described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. All information set forth in this press
release is as of the date hereof. You should consider these factors
in evaluating the forward-looking statements included in this press
release and not place undue reliance on such statements. We do not
assume any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances
change, except as otherwise required by law.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211220005260/en/
Oragenics, Inc. Michael Sullivan, Chief Financial Officer
813-286-7900 msullivan@oragenics.com
Or
LHA Investor Relations Kim Golodetz 212-838-3777
kgolodetz@lhai.com
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