Lipoxen receives International AIDS Vaccine Initiative grant

Collaboration

UK vaccine delivery company Lipoxen, spun out from the School of Pharmacy at the University of London, has won a 12-month grant from the Innovation Fund of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Lipoxen develops naturally derived technologies for improved delivery of vaccines, and will use the funding to optimise the use of its proprietary ImuXen technology in the development of HIV vaccines. Under the terms of the agreement, both parties will have ownership of the delivery systems that emerge from the collaboration.

Lipoxen’s ImuXen technology is based on naturally occurring liposomal vesicles, called liposomes, which are able to protect the antigen and adjuvant vaccine components. Containment and slow release of the active materials from the vesicles leads to a much stronger and rapid immune response than when conventional delivery methods are used.

The project aims to formulate a vaccine system which incorporates HIV envelope protein gp140 and HIV DNA into liposomes, which will trigger the production of antibodies that protect cells in vitro against HIV isolates.

Scott Maguire, CEO of Lipoxen, said: “We are delighted that the improved delivery and vaccine effectiveness offered by our ImuXen technology has been recognised by IAVI. From experience with other pathogens, we know that a vaccine is the best way to stop a virus. The intellectual property portfolio that Lipoxen is continually developing in the vaccine delivery area is enabling us to carve out an important position in the development of novel vaccines that address some of the world’s most infectious diseases and may also help us to bring HIV’s 25 year story to an end.”

Michelle Dees, Director of the IAVI’s Innovation Fund, said: “At IAVI we strive to access new technologies that hold future promise for ultimately bringing an HIV vaccine to market. We are delighted to now be working with Lipoxen. If successful, technologies like these could significantly transform the HIV vaccine pipeline and speed the discovery of an eventual AIDS vaccine.”