Soligenix presents positive preliminary results for heat-stable Ebola vaccine formulation

Soligenix released positive preliminary proof-of-concept results on Monday from its collaboration with Axel Lehrer to develop a heat-stable subunit Ebola virus vaccine.

Lehrer is a doctor in the Department of Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and Hawaii Biotech, Inc.

Thermostablilization formulation studies, conducted with Dr. Theodore Randolph from the University of Colorado at Boulder, have identified a formulation that enhances the physical activity of the protein and may be dose sparing.

Lehrer’s vaccine is based on highly-purified recombinant protein antigens, circumventing many manufacturing difficulties. ThermoVax, Soligenix’s proprietary vaccine thermostabilziation technology, is used to stabilize components of the vaccine.

“None of the other Ebola vaccines under development have the ability to withstand high temperatures, which is an ongoing concern in areas of the world where Filoviruses are endemic,” Lehrer said. “The ability to stabilize our vaccine candidate to retain immunogenicity may not only have an impact on logistics, but also has the potential to reach more persons in need with fewer vaccine doses. This would be a tremendous advantage, especially in endemic areas, increasing the number of people receiving sufficient doses of the vaccine to protect them from disease. We are very encouraged by these preliminary results and look forward to our continuing collaboration with Soligenix and HBI to further develop our Ebola and multivalent filovirus vaccines.”