New Zealand most experienced vaccine researcher COVID-19 Vaccine Corporation (CVC) has signed a collaboration agreement
with not-for-profit Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI) in Switzerland.
CVC began its vaccine production efforts in 2020 and is continuing to make progress with its T cell COVID-19 vaccine.
CVC’s vaccine is designed to induce immunity to both current and yet unknown variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and will
act as an enhancer to existing vaccines currently available on the market.
“It is particularly exciting to work with VFI. We are now working with individuals that are global experts in the use,
application and formulation of vaccine adjuvants. We have been talking to them for quite a while now, and with the good
progress we are making in the lab we are optimistic about the future,” says CVC Chief Executive Dr Robert Feldman.
The multi-national collaboration will see the two organisations combine their efforts to formulate CVC’s vaccine
candidate with adjuvants. Adjuvants are substances commonly used in vaccines that enhance the human body’s immune
response.
“We are pleased to initiate a collaboration with CVC. This aims to advance the development of CVC’s SARS-CoV-2 T cell
polypeptide antigen by providing VFI adjuvants and formulation expertise. VFI’s adjuvants have been shown to enhance the
immunogenicity of other COVID-19 vaccine candidates in both preclinical and clinical studies, and will now be
investigated in combination with CVC’s T cell antigen,” says Dr Patrice Dubois, Co-Founder and Scientific Director of
VFI.
CVC is developing a unique, proprietary COVID-19 cytotoxic T cell vaccine and has benefited from working with its local
and international partners including University of Auckland, Callaghan Innovation, Scion, Ardigen, Fonterra, and
University of Queensland.