EuCorVac-19

POP Biotechnologies (POP BIO), a Buffalo, New York-based biopharmaceutical startup, announces the commencement of two Phase 3 clinical studies of EuCorVac-19, a COVID-19 vaccine candidate being developed by South Korean partner EuBiologics (KOSDAQ: 206650). EuCorVac-19 is a protein-based vaccine consisting of a vaccine antigen displayed on immunogenic nanoparticles, using POP BIO's spontaneous-nanoliposome antigen particle (SNAP) technology.

EuBiologics announced last month that it was selected to receive a Korean National New Drug Development Foundation of the Ministry of Health and Welfare grant that will enable EuCorVac-19 to be tested in a Phase III comparison trial in 4,000 healthy participants in the Philippines. This follows prior news that EuBiologics already initiated a separate Phase III clinical trial of EuCorVac-19 in the Democratic Republic of Congo in June and intends to combine the results of this one with the recently announced trials. EuBiologics will work closely with international research organizations to expedite recruitment in countries with low vaccination rates and analyze trial results to accelerate the regulatory approval and commercialization of EuCorVac-19. 

The successful completion of Phase III trials could further validate POP BIO's SNAP and EuBiologics' EuIMT platform technologies used in the EuCorVac-19 vaccine. This will enable further development of booster vaccines, new strain vaccines, and combination vaccines for COVID-19 in the future. "This Phase III trial is a monumental step forward for our technology. Achieving this critical milestone provides validation towards not only solving this unprecedented global crisis but also provides invaluable support towards our platform's development, further enabling the creation of new vaccines with tremendous potential to alleviate suffering worldwide," says POP BIO President and co-founder Jonathan Smyth.

EuCorVac-19 has already been shown to be safe and effective in a Phase I/II clinical trial, the results of which were announced in December 2021. EuBiologics expects to expedite the development of an Omicron variant booster vaccine based on the same platform used for EuCorVac-19. A booster vaccine is necessary due to the dominance of emerging virus variants.

POP Biotechnologies (POP BIO): POP BIO is a privately held biotechnology company focused on the research and development of novel therapeutics and vaccines employing their proprietary porphyrin-phospholipid (PoP) liposome technologies. The PoP technology, exclusively licensed from The State University of New York Research Foundation (SUNY-RF), was developed by company founder Dr. Jonathan Lovell at his academic facilities at The State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo).

About POP BIO's SNAP Technology: POP BIO's Spontaneous Nanoliposome Antigen Particleization (SNAP) technology enables the rapid development and manufacturing of highly immunogenic particle-based vaccines and immunotherapies directed against infectious disease and cancer through the use of a cobalt-modified variant of the PoP technology (CoPoP). The SNAP technology enables the seamless generation of stable particle-formation and liposome-display of protein and peptide antigens, resulting in substantial improvements in immune responses.

About EuBiologics: EuBiologics is a South Korean biotechnology company that is advancing the EuCorVac-19 COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccine products. EuBiologics has two main animal-based bioreactors (1,000L) to produce recombinant protein antigens at Chuncheon Plant 1 (C-Plant) and EcML (Monophosphoryl Lipid A), which is adjuvant at Chuncheon Plant 2 (V-Plant). The total capacity of COVID-19 vaccine is currently in the hundreds of millions of doses per year.

About EuBiologics' EuIMT Technology: EuBiologics' Immune Modulation Technology using genetically engineered Monophosphoryl Lipid A (MLA), called EcML, that is a unique TLR4 agonist. EuBiologics has IP protection around EcML and various adjuvant systems including EcML. Eubiologics' EcML and POP BIO's SNAP technologies synergize to create ultrapotent next-generation vaccines.