MedTech, AI
Globenewswire | August 01, 2023
Evaxion Biotech A/S a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the discovery and development of AI-powered immunotherapies, presents promising results of EVX-B1 at the Staphylococcal Diseases Gordon Research Conference in New Hampshire, USA.
“I am excited to present the impressive results of EVX-B1 at the Gordon Research Conference. The demonstration of full disease protection and complete bacterial clearance marks a significant advancement in the fight against this widespread and often antibiotic-resistant pathogen. With the many previous unsuccessful attempts to develop an effective S. aureus vaccine, EVX-B1 instills renewed hope in the battle against the bacteria,” said Steven Projan, PhD, Scientific Advisor to Evaxion and poster presenter.
EVX-B1 has been designed using Evaxion’s proprietary AI technology for vaccine target discovery. The AI technology has enabled the identification of novel S. aureus antigens, paving the way for the development of a vaccine with potential for broad protection against clinically relevant strains.
EVX-B1 induces strong immune responses, both cellular and humoral, that translate to a high level of protection in preclinical models for skin infection and sepsis. Importantly, EVX-B1 prevents both the development of disease and effectively eliminates the infection itself. In a 12-month immunogenicity study, EVX-B1 induced high and long-lasting antibody titers. A booster immunization substantially increased the immune response, protecting against S. aureus infection. The EVX-B1 vaccine candidate is ready for non-clinical development, CMC, and subsequent clinical testing.
“The remarkable performance of EVX-B1 in state-of-the-art animal models is a testament to our innovative approach and the power of computational target discovery. We are excited about the potential impact this vaccine could have in preventing S. aureus infections, which have long posed significant challenges to global health and where antibiotic resistance is developing fast,” said Birgitte Rønø, Chief Scientific Officer at Evaxion.
The poster entitled “EVX-B1: An AI-designed vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus, demonstrating full disease protection and complete bacterial clearance” is presented at the Staphylococcal Diseases Gordon Research Conference in New Hampshire, USA, taking place from 30th of July to 4th of August this year (https://www.grc.org/staphylococcal-diseases-conference/2023/).
About S. aureus infections
The S. aureus bacteria are usually harmless but can cause serious infections, leading to sepsis or death. S. aureus is causing severe hospital-acquired infections. Antibiotic-resistant S. aureus, particularly Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MSRA) infections, are of critical concern and remain a prevention priority. According to the CDC, nearly 120,000 bloodstream infections with 20,000 associated deaths were reported in 2019 (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6809e1.htm). The estimated annual economic impact of MRSA on US hospitals alone is $3.2-4.2 billion.
About EDEN
Our proprietary EDEN platform rapidly identifies novel, highly protective antigens for the use in pathogen-specific prophylactic vaccines against bacteria. Within EDEN, our proprietary algorithms allow us to predict and identify those antigens we believe will trigger a robust, protective immune response against almost any bacterial infectious disease. The input to the AI models is a feature transformation of the protein data set, in which several global and sequence-resolved properties are extracted. These structural and functional features have been selected for their relevance in protein chemistry, immunology, protein structure and ability to guide the network in discriminating protective versus non-protective antigens.
About Evaxion
Evaxion Biotech A/S is a pioneering company developing AI-powered immunotherapies. Evaxion’s proprietary and scalable AI technologies decode the human immune system to discover and develop novel immunotherapies for cancer, bacterial diseases, and viral infections. Evaxion has a broad pipeline of candidates, including three personalized cancer immunotherapies. It is located in Hørsholm, Denmark, listed on the Nasdaq New York stock exchange.
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Medical, Industry Outlook
PRNewswire | August 14, 2023
ERS Genomics Limited ('ERS') is pleased to announce a new license agreement with Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc ('SCBT,'). This is a non-exclusive licensing agreement granting SCBT access to the ERS CRISPR/Cas9 patent portfolio.
ERS founder, Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, won the 2020 Nobel Prize for the discovery of CRISPR/Cas9. Consequently, the ERS patent portfolio is the most comprehensive collection of proprietary rights to this gene editing technology.
Santa Cruz Biotechnology, headquartered in Dallas, has earned its place as a world leader in the biomedical research market, boasting a remarkable thirty-year track record of relentless innovation. With a specific focus on research tools and reagents, including monoclonal antibodies, biochemicals, labware, and now CRISPR products, SCBT has consistently demonstrated its commitment to advancing scientific exploration.
Commenting on the deal with ERS, Santa Cruz Biotechnology representative Dr. John R. Stephenson, President and CEO, had the following statement 'CRISPR/Cas9 technology is an exciting advancement for the scientific community. This technology has greatly expanded the possibilities of research. Santa Cruz Biotechnology offers Knock-Out, Activator and Nickase CRISPR products to most human and mouse protein encoding genes. The CRISPR product line complements our well established monoclonal antibody product line.
Eric Rhodes, CEO, ERS Genomics was equally positive about the new relationship: 'Santa Cruz has an established and impressive reputation for making innovative solutions accessible to scientists. This fully aligns with our core mission of advancing scientific progress and unlocking the full potential of CRISPR/Cas9 in our industry.'
Financial details of the agreement are not being disclosed.
About Santa Cruz Biotechnology Inc
Santa Cruz Biotechnology is a world leader in the development of products for the biomedical research market. Over the past thirty years, the Company has focused on the ongoing development of research monoclonal antibodies, biochemicals, labware and CRISPR products. Santa Cruz Biotechnology has the highest commitment to quality and customer service.
About ERS Genomics
ERS Genomics is a biotechnology company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was formed to provide broad access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property held by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier. Non-exclusive licenses are available for research and sale of products and services across multiple fields including research tools, kits, reagents; discovery of novel targets for therapeutic intervention; cell lines for discovery and screening of novel drug candidates; GMP production of healthcare products; companion animal and livestock health; production of industrial materials such as enzymes, biofuels and chemicals; and synthetic biology. ERS holds over 100 patents worldwide.
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Industry Outlook
PRNewswire. | July 03, 2023
Cresilon, Inc. a Brooklyn-based biotechnology company focused on hemostatic medical device technologies, announced that it has been granted 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for Cresilon Hemostatic Gel™ ("CHG™").
This marks Cresilon's first FDA clearance for human use, validating its revolutionary hemostatic gel technology and the company's global mission to transform wound care.
CHG™ utilizes Cresilon's proprietary hemostatic gel technology that rapidly controls bleeding when applied to a wound ‒ without the need for manual pressure. In addition to its versatility, the plant-based gel is easy-to-use and works instantaneously to both stop and control bleeding at the point of care
"The combination of these unique attributes will allow our technology to fill a critical unmet medical need while creating a significant and positive impact in helping to save lives and dramatically improving the standard of care in wound treatment." said Cresilon CEO and Co-Founder Joe Landolina. "The FDA clearance sets the predicate for our advanced technology and marks Cresilon's first step towards actualizing our long-term goal of expanding our technology within the broader human health market."
CHG leverages Cresilon's in-house manufacturing capabilities, advanced engineering, and focused research teams. CHG is for prescription use only. As the first product in the Cresilon portfolio approved for human use, CHG is indicated for the local management of bleeding wounds such as minor cuts, minor lacerations, and minor abrasions. For additional important safety information, please see the CHG Instructions For Use.
About Cresilon
Cresilon® is a Brooklyn-based biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and markets hemostatic medical devices utilizing the company's proprietary hydrogel technology. The company's plant-based technology has revolutionized the current standard by stopping traumatic and surgical bleeds in seconds without the need for manual pressure. The company's current and future product lines target veterinary, human trauma, and human surgical applications. Cresilon's mission is to save lives.
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