BiVac-Team: Translational immunology using bi-specific antibodies and vaccines

Research in the BiVac team is focused on translational immunology involving both immunotherapy in cancer using bi-specific antibodies and prevention of infectious diseases with vaccines. Central to this is product characterization, pivotal potency assays, proof of principle pre-clinical efficacy and safety studies that align products to clinical development and define target product profiles.

Research focus

Cancer

Implementing mRNA technology in translation of immune engager molecules in cancer with special focus on combining different modalities, like check-point inhibition, T and NK cell activation and antigen presenting cell targeting, to achieve higher efficacy with less active product ingredient. Models that mimic hot and cold cancers in immune competent syngeneic mice are used in combination with single cell transcriptomic analysis to investigate mechanisms of activation and protection. In addition, we are investigating novel ways to target cancer neo-antigens and tumor associated antigens.

Involved: Nanna Skeltved, Marina Carmona Fajardo.

Malaria Vaccine

Clinical development of capsid-based virus-like particle vaccines against malaria. This involves benchmarking to soluble protein vaccines, translating to mRNA, upstream and downstream development and regulatory approval and phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. The teams is working on vaccines against several blood stage antigens and pre-erythrocytic targets. In addition, we are implementing methods to elucidate the structural composition of antibody epitopes.

Involved: Sayit Erdogan, Ikhlaq Kana, Nicoleta Munteanu, Dongli Lin

Collaborations

External:

First in man and clinical testing: Professor Benjamin Mordmüller
Pre-erythrocytic Malaria Vaccine: Dr Randall McGill, MVI/PATH
Blood stage malaria vaccine: Dr Nirianne Palacpac and Prof. Toshihiro Horii, Osaka University
Placental Malaria Vaccine; Dr Justin Doritchamou and Professor Patrick Duffy (NIH/NIAID), Dr Benoit Gamain (Inserm), Nicaise Ndam (IRD), Dr Eizo Takashima and Prof. Tsuboi Takafumi, Flavia Dalessio (European Vaccine Initiative), Dr Niraj Tolia (NIH/NIAID)

Internal:

The BiVac team is working closely together with other CMP research team in the preclinical development of vaccines, structural analysis and antibody products in particular the VLPVAC team, DISCOVERY team; BIOENGINEERING team, GLURP team, OF-CANCER team.

Publications

List of publications by Var2CSA Team

Funding

Current funding:

VAC4PM; Global Health Innovative Technology: Placental Malaria vaccine 2.0
Advance VAC4PM; EU Horizon Europe: Placental Malaria vaccine 2.0
VICI-Disease; EU Horizon Europe: Vaccines against viruses of pandemic potential
PIGVAC; Innovation Fund Denmark; Prevention of post-weaning diarrhea in pigs
Preoperative mRNA treatment; NFF Phd Grant Nanna Skeltved
ImmunTarget; NEYE fonden: mRNA delivery, Single cell genomics and APC targeting.