China-based clinical-stage biotechnology firm Clover Biopharmaceuticals has entered into a research collaboration with GSK for its protein-based coronavirus vaccine candidate (COVID-19 S-Trimer).
Under the new partnership, GSK will offer its pandemic adjuvant system to Clover for further evaluation of COVID-19 S-Trimer in preclinical studies.
With large-scale, in-house, commercial cGMP biomanufacturing capabilities in China, Clover is expected to scale-up and produce large quantities of new coronavirus vaccine.
GSK Vaccines chief medical officer Thomas Breuer said: “We are proud to contribute to cutting edge research from scientists at Clover Biopharmaceuticals in China as part of our strategy to make our adjuvant technology available to selected partners who have a promising vaccine candidate against the newly emerged coronavirus.
“The use of an adjuvant is of particular importance in a pandemic situation since it may reduce the amount of vaccine protein required per dose, allowing more vaccine doses to be produced and therefore contributing to protect more people.”
Clover and GSK collaboration to advance the S-Trimer vaccine programme
GSK develops advanced vaccines using different adjuvant systems, which are added to vaccines to enhance the immune response, creating a stronger and longer-lasting immunity against infections than the vaccine alone.
Clover has started designing the viral spike (S)-protein construct and completed its gene synthesis, after knowing the genomic DNA sequence of the newly-identified SARS-CoV-2 virus.
In addition, the company is using its patented Trimer-Tag technology to produce S-Trimer subunit vaccine that resembles the native trimeric viral spike through a rapid mammalian cell-culture based expression system.
Clover chief strategy officer and board director Joshua Liang said: “At Clover we look forward to evaluating the combination of GSK’s pandemic adjuvant system and our S-Trimer as a vaccine candidate.
“Utilising our proprietary Timer-Tag technology that has been shown to be recognized by antibodies produced by multiple previously-infected coronavirus patients, S-Trimer is being rapidly developed to support global efforts in combating this current and any future coronavirus outbreaks.”
