Candidate: PDS0204 (Versamune®-CoV-2FC)
Category: VAX
Type: Vaccine combining PDS’ Versamune® T-cell activating technology with a Farmacore-developed recombinant SARS-CoV-2 protein, and aimed at preventing COVID-19 infection.
Status: PDS Biotechnology said June 17 that it signed an agreement with Farmacore Biotechnology to co-develop Versamune®-CoV-2FC. PDS and Farmacore agreed to accelerate development of the vaccine candidate into Phase 1 clinical testing in Brazil, with initial financial support to be provided by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication (MCTIC). The companies are expanding upon an earlier-announced R&D collaboration designed to develop a Versamune®-based vaccine for tuberculosis.
PDS and Farmacore said they plan to use multiple R&D sites in the U.S. and Brazil for preclinical and clinical development of Versamune-CoV-2FC. Farmacore retains commercialization rights in Latin America, while revenues from Latin America sales will be shared between the two companies. PDS retains the right of first refusal for commercialization outside of Latin America.
PDS said it was in talks with other governmental and non-governmental agencies regarding additional funding for a COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19: 200 Candidates and Counting
To navigate through the >200 potential therapeutic and vaccine options for COVID-19, GEN has grouped the candidates into four broad categories based on their developmental and (where applicable) clinical progress:
● FRONT RUNNER – the most promising therapeutics/vaccines based on clinical progress, favorable data or both.
● DEFINITELY MAYBE – earlier phases with promising partners, or more advanced candidates in development that have generated uneven data.
● KEEPING AN EYE ON… – interesting technology, attracting notable partners, or both, but preliminary data.
● TOO SOON TO TELL – longshots pending additional experimental and/or clinical data.
GEN has also tagged the most common treatment types:
● ANTIVIRAL
● VAX
● ANTIBODY
● RNA
