Versatope Awarded Funds for Malaria Vaccine Research

Versatope Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm based in Lowell, Massachusetts, has secured a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This grant, amounting up to $3 million over three years, will fund the development of a bi-specific malaria vaccine aimed at countering both the initial infection and its transmission. This dual-action mechanism is anticipated to offer a more comprehensive defense compared to traditional single-target vaccines.

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, with the World Health Organization reporting approximately 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths annually across 85 countries. The majority of these cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as regions in the South Pacific, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. The combination of climate change, drug-resistant malaria strains, and mosquitoes resistant to insecticides has complicated malaria control efforts in recent years.

Versatope's innovative approach to vaccine development has also earned the company a Stage I grant from the MassVentures SBIR Targeted Technologies (START) program. This recognition places Versatope among the top 2.25% of Massachusetts companies receiving both SBIR Phase 2 and START grants. The START program is designed to help local startups transform research from SBIR projects into viable businesses and job opportunities within the state. Additionally, it provides crucial guidance for commercializing new technologies.

Christopher Locher, CEO of Versatope, expressed gratitude for the support from both the NIH and MassVentures, emphasizing the importance of advancing Versatope's technological innovations to the next stage. Charles Hipwood, CEO of MassVentures, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the significant impact Versatope's work could have on public health. Mary Ann Picard, Executive Director for Innovation at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, also praised the Versatope team for their achievement, underlining the groundbreaking nature of their biologics research.

Versatope Therapeutics operates out of the University of Massachusetts' M2D2 biotech incubator. Besides the malaria vaccine, the company is working on a pan-influenza vaccine that remains stable at room temperature for extended periods and could potentially offer lifelong immunity with a single dose. The malaria vaccine project is supported by the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under grant number R44AI181242.