Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Could Provide Second Layer of Protection for Those with Less Robust Immune Responses

A novel coronavirus vaccine is being designed to provide extra protection to those with less robust immune systems, including older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions are at the highest risk from developing severe COVID-19.

The vaccine being developed by Heat Biologics, Inc. (Durham, NC, USA) leverages the company’s proprietary gp96 platform to target the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Heat's unique approach is designed to induce a multi-epitope specific memory CD8 T-cell response that protects against multiple, distinct coronavirus strains and against potential future mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses. Heat has announced further progress on its COVID-19 vaccine program and remains on track to complete vaccine development and initiate manufacturing in August.

“I am pleased to report important advancements related to our COVID-19 vaccine program. Specifically, we have achieved stable co-expression of gp96/nCoV-S protein, as measured by both immunofluorescence and ELISA, in our clinically validated human cell line, enabling selection of our COVID-19 vaccine,” said Jeff Hutchins, Chief Scientific and Operating Officer of Heat. “These steps are important milestones and necessary precursors to completion of our vaccine in preparation for its manufacture and use in clinical trials.”

“We remain on track to complete design and development of our COVID-19 vaccine in July, and expect that our gp96/nCoV-2 expressing cell line will be available for clinical-grade manufacturing with our partner, Waisman Biomanufacturing, in early August,” said Jeff Wolf, CEO of Heat. “Given our progress to date, we remain encouraged by the potential of our unique vaccine to provide broad cellular T-cell and humoral protection against COVID-19, as well as possible future mutations or other coronaviruses."

Related Links:
Heat Biologics, Inc.