Vaxxas, a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) vaccine delivery, has been awarded a $2 million (AUD 3.2 million) grant as a Concept Stage winner in the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) $50 million Patch Forward Prize.
The competition, aimed at accelerating the commercialization of RNA vaccines for COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and pandemic influenza, will support Vaxxas’ efforts to advance its HD-MAP technology for COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Vaxxas will collaborate with The University of Queensland’s BASE facility to advance this initiative in 2025, the company said in a media release.
According to the company, the HD-MAP technology offers numerous advantages over traditional vaccine delivery methods, such as reducing the need for cold-chain storage and enabling self-administration.
These benefits could play a crucial role in expanding vaccine accessibility, particularly during pandemics, it noted.
According to Vaxxas, market research indicates that consumers overwhelmingly prefer HD-MAP delivery over conventional needle-and-syringe methods.
David Hoey, president and CEO of Vaxxas, expressed gratitude for the recognition and optimism about the technology’s potential.
“We’re honored to have our world-leading microarray patch technology chosen to be part of this important BARDA-led public health initiative to accelerate new vaccine technologies,” Hoey said.
“We’re excited about the potential for our technology to play an important role in effectively protecting populations against dangerous respiratory infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19.”
Vaxxas is currently engaged in an IND-enabled Phase I clinical trial with BARDA for a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine, involving 258 participants.
Early research into HD-MAP/mRNA vaccine applications, supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), has yielded promising results.
The Patch Forward Prize, part of the larger $5 billion Project NextGen initiative, is among the most significant incentive prizes in US federal government history.
Project NextGen aims to accelerate next-generation vaccine and treatment development through public-private collaborations.
Following the Concept Stage, submissions for Preclinical and Clinical Stages will continue through 2025 and 2026.
