iBio Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Collaboration

iBio, a biologics contract manufacturing organization and biotechnology innovator, has signed two Master Services Agreements (MSAs) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) in support of iBio’s SARS-CoV-2 Virus-Like Particle (VLP) vaccine development.
 
Under the MSAs, IDRI will support pre-clinical development and provide clinical trial oversight, while iBio will provide process development and manufacturing services to IDRI, as needed. Additionally, the MoU calls for iBio and IDRI to establish a separate, additional agreement within the next 60 days if the company opts to include one of IDRI’s novel adjuvants in the COVID-19 vaccine development program (IBIO-200). The MSAs and the MoU integrate IDRI into iBio’s collaboration with the Texas A&M University System to create a strong partnership that brings deep experience and advanced technologies and capabilities to the task of moving IBIO-200 into the clinic.
 
"We are delighted to have IDRI contribute its deep understanding of infectious diseases and vaccine development expertise to the team," said Tom Isett, co-chairman and chief executive officer, iBio. "We are also looking forward to evaluating the novel adjuvants in IDRI’s portfolio that may deliver even greater immunostimulatory effects. A more potent antigen-adjuvant combination would further increase our projected manufacturing capacity for production of a vaccine for COVID-19 disease."
 
Corey Casper, chief executive officer, IDRI, and clinical professor of medicine and global health, University of Washington, said, "We are excited to be a partner in the development of IBIO-200. Combining iBio’s VLP antigen with an IDRI adjuvant provides for promising safety and efficacy characteristics, and importantly, the ready ability to scale-up manufacturing to help meet the projected global demand for a suitable vaccine."

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