Scientific Reports Revealing Early Promise for Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FinancialNewsMedia.com News Commentary - Recently, scientific reports have shown that a universal coronavirus vaccine that protects against COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2, as well as other coronaviruses such as those causing SARS and MERS, produced promising results in a mouse study. Multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have gone from development to distribution in many parts of the world, in record time. Indeed, in New York City, over 50% of the adult population has been vaccinated. But the emergence of SARS (in 2003) and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 highlights the need to develop universal vaccination strategies against the broader Sarbecovirussubgenus. According to a report from ClinicalOMICs said that: "Now, scientists at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Gillings School of Global Public Health are working to develop a vaccine that protects mice against not only SARS-CoV-2, including the emerging variants, but other coronaviruses as well. This research is published in the journal Science... To prevent a future coronavirus pandemic, the UNC-Chapel Hill researchers designed a vaccine to provide protection from the current SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and a group of coronaviruses known to make the jump from animals to humans." Active biotech companies in the market this week include BioVaxys Technology Corp. (OTCQB: BVAXF) (CSE: BIOV), Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA), Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX), INOVIO (NASDAQ: INO).

ClinicalOMICs continued: "The chimeric spike mRNAs induced high levels of broadly protective neutralizing antibodies against high-risk Sarbecoviruses. This result is in contrast to vaccinating using the mRNA from SARS-CoV-2 alone, which showed a marked reduction in neutralizing titers against heterologous Sarbecoviruses. In addition, a challenge with SARS-CoV and WIV-1 in mice that had been vaccinated with SARS-CoV-2 mRNA alone resulted in breakthrough infections. However, the chimeric spike mRNA vaccines used in this new study, "efficiently neutralized D614G, mink cluster five, and the UK B.1.1.7., and South African B.1.351 variants of concern. The authors write that the multiplexed-chimeric spikes can prevent SARS-like zoonotic coronavirus infections with pandemic potential. "Our findings look bright for the future because they suggest we can design more universal pan coronavirus vaccines to proactively guard against viruses we know are at risk for emerging in humans," Martinez said. "With this strategy, perhaps we can prevent a SARS-CoV-3. "

BioVaxys Technology Corp. (OTCQB: BVAXF) (CSE: BIOV.CNQ) BREAKING NEWS: BioVaxys Files US Patent Application for Pan-Sarbecovirus Vaccine - BioVaxys Technology Corp. ("BioVaxys") announced today that it has filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office ("USPTO") a provisional patent application for its haptenized viral antigen vaccine platform to elicit a broad cross-reactive immune response against most or all sarbecoviruses, the family of Coronaviruses that includes SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine ("NEJM") evaluated human volunteers who had natural immunity to SARS-Cov-1 (a coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2 but with higher mortality), which broke out in 2003 and is often referred to as the first global pandemic of the 21^st century, and who were immunized against SARS-CoV-2 with a widely used mRNA vaccine. The result was surprising: the recipients had neutralizing antibody not only to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, but also to eight other sarbecoviruses, including emerging zoonotic sarbecoviruses that may have future pandemic potential. This cross-reactivity was due to similarities in the S-spike protein. Sarbecoviruses, such as SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, all bind to the ACE2 receptor, which makes them highly transmissible.

Biovaxys intends to leverage its haptenized viral protein vaccine platform to induce immunity against all or most sarbecoviruses by immunizing people who have convalesced from a documented Covid-19 infection, or received a full course of any Covid-19 vaccine recognized by the World Health Organization, with a novel vaccine composed of the dinitrophenyl ("DNP")-modified S-spike protein of SARS-CoV-1.

Dr. David Berd, Chief Medical Officer of BioVaxys, commented: "Scientists dream of a pan-Coronavirus vaccine that would protect the population against any SARS-like respiratory virus that might mutate and emerge from a wild animal in the future. Our approach could constitute a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine that would protect humans against a very dangerous subgroup of Coronavirus that could emerge from the wild and cause as much devastation as Covid-19."

James Passin, Biovaxys Chief Executive Officer, stated, "There have been over 217 million recoveries following confirmed cases of Covid-19 (www.statista.com) and 6.6B doses have been given of Covid-19 vaccine (Bloomberg Oct 15 2021); this total target population of almost 4 billion people represents a massive commercial opportunity for proposed our pan-sarbecovirus booster vaccine, which has the potential to confer cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies, not only against all Covid-19 variants, but future emerging dangerous zoonotic sarbecoviruses." CONTINUED... Read this full release and more news for BioVaxys Technology at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-biov/ 

Other recent covid-19 developments in the biotech industry include:

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE) previously announced that its partner Escugen Biotechnology Co, Ltd. ("Escugen") and Sorrento's subsidiary Levena (Suzhou) Biopharma Co., Ltd. ("Levena") had received an approval letter from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for its Application for Clinical Trial (Acceptance No. CXSL2101069) of Recombinant Humanized Anti-Trop2 Mab-SN38 Conjugate. Recently Sorrento announces that the US FDA has given clearance to proceed with clinical trials in cancer patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors.

Sorrento is a clinical and commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancer, pain (non-opioid treatments), autoimmune disease and COVID-19. Sorrento's multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies ("G-MAB™ library"), immuno-cellular therapies ("DAR-T™"), antibody-drug conjugates ("ADCs"), and oncolytic virus ("Seprehvec™"). Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including Abivertinib, COVIGUARD™, COVI-AMG™, COVISHIELD™, COVI-MSC™ and COVIDROPS™; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVITRACK™, COVISTIX™ and COVITRACE™.

Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA) recently announced that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has exercised its option to purchase an additional 176.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for the COVAX Facility. Of these additional doses, 116.5 million doses are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2022 and 60 million doses are expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2022. All doses are offered at Moderna's lowest tiered price, in line with the Company's global access commitments. 

COVAX retains the option to purchase 116.5 million doses for delivery in the third quarter of 2022 and an additional 116.5 million doses for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2022. These doses are in addition to the 34 million doses purchased for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) recently announced that Valneva SE reported positive topline results from the Phase 3 pivotal trial of VLA2001, their inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate using Dynavax's CpG 1018® adjuvant.

Valneva reported the following data from their Phase 3 COV-COMPARE trial in a press release issued October 18, 2021. The trial met its co-primary endpoints: VLA2001 demonstrated superiority against AZD1222 (ChAdOx1-S), in terms of geometric mean titer for neutralization antibodies (GMT ratio=1.39, p<0.0001), (VLA2001 GMT 803.5 (95% CI: 748.48, 862.59)), (AZD1222(ChAdOx1-S) GMT 576.6 (95% CI 543.6, 611.7)), as well as non-inferiority in terms of seroconversion rates (SCR above 95% in both treatment groups) at two weeks after the second vaccination (i.e. Day 43) in adults aged 30 years and older. VLA2001 was generally well-tolerated. The tolerability profile of VLA2001 was significantly more favorable compared to the active comparator vaccine. Participants 30 years and older reported significantly fewer solicited adverse events up to seven days after vaccination, both with regards to injection site reactions and systemic reactions (73.2% VLA2001 vs. 91.1% AZD1222 (ChAdOx1-S), p<0.0001) and systemic reactions (70.2% VLA2001 vs. 91.1% AZD1222 (ChAdOx1-S), p<0.0001). No unsolicited treatment-related serious adverse events (SAE) have been reported. Less than 1% reported an adverse event of special interest in both treatment groups. Participants in the younger age group vaccinated with VLA2001 showed an overall safety profile comparable to the older age group.

INOVIO (NASDAQ: INO) recently announced that it has received authorization from Colombia's INVIMA (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos, or the National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute), to conduct the Phase 3 segment of INOVIO's global Phase 2/3 trial, INNOVATE (INOVIO INO-4800 Vaccine Trial for Efficacy) in Colombia, for INO-4800, its DNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19. INOVIO is working with partner Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co., Ltd. (Advaccine) on the INNOVATE Phase 3 segment in multiple countries, with a focus on countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. INOVIO recently announced that it has received regulatory authorization to proceed in Brazil, Philippines and Mexico.

The global Phase 3 segment of INNOVATE will evaluate the efficacy of INO-4800 in a two-dose regimen (2.0 mg per dose), administered one month apart, in a 2-to-1 randomization in men and non-pregnant women 18 years of age and older. The primary endpoint of this case-driven Phase 3 trial is virologically confirmed COVID-19.

DISCLAIMER:  FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  For current services performed FNM has been compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by BioVaxys Technology Corp. by a non-affiliated third party.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:
Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com
+1(561)325-8757