The University of Queensland (UQ) has partnered up with CSL and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to accelerate development, manufacturing, and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate its researchers pioneered earlier this year.
In an agreement formalized this week, both CEPI and CSL will fund UQ’ s molecular clamp-based efforts. This money will support a phase 1 safety study that UQ itself will lead in July, along with late-stage clinical trials and industrial-scale manufacturing, should the product be approved. Between them, they intend to produce up to 100 million doses a year toward the end of 2021.
“The partnership will enable the rapid development of the vaccine candidate through clinical trials, and by investing in large-scale manufacturing capacity now, we can reduce the time needed to deliver millions of doses of the UQ vaccine to those who need them most if it proves to be safe and effective,” Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, said.
If UQ’s vaccine proves successful, all of CEPI’s allocation will be dispersed through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, which CEPI runs alongside Gavi and the World Health Organization, to guarantee equitable distribution. CSL’s allocation will support Australia and its regional neighbors, at a minimum. Initial production of the vaccine will take place in CSL’s facilities in Melbourne, Australia. Other global manufacturers could also be subcontracted by CSL to increase the total number of doses produced and their global reach.
“We are absolutely delighted at the speed with which we have been able to reach this critical juncture, and off the back of positive results from our early preclinical studies,” professor Peter Høj, vice-chancellor and president of the University of Queensland, said. “This accelerated timeframe, hitting the key milestones in the development of the UQ vaccine, would not have been possible without CEPI, our partners, and additional funding assistance from the Queensland State Government ($10m), the Federal Government ($5m) and philanthropic partners. Having CSL, an Australian-based global biotech leader, take our vaccine forward is a fantastic result for the dedicated research team who have worked tirelessly since January on this project, which will benefit Australians and the world.”
The molecular clamp system itself has benefited from up to $10.6 million from CEPI since January 2019. Patented by UQ’s technology transfer company, UniQuest, it enabled rapid vaccine design and production for use against viral pathogens, like COVID-19, and locks the unstable, perfusion version of surface proteins in ways that allow the immune system to respond more effectively. The partnership — and affiliated efforts — expanded in January 2020, as a result of the pandemic. The UQ COVID-19 vaccine will be combined with Seqirus’ adjuvant technology, MF59, to improve immune response, reduce the amount of antigen required for vaccines, and allow more doses to be manufactured quicker.