University of British Columbia

MUMBAI, India & HYDERABAD, India I October 30, 2024 I PopVax, an Indian full-stack biotechnology company developing novel mRNA vaccines and therapeutics using computational protein design, is pleased to announce that its ongoing research effort to develop lipid-polymer delivery formulations for thermostable mRNA vaccines has been funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation under a 1.15 million USD project agreement signed in October 2023. This effort follows on from a prior 2021 project agreement under which PopVax was awarded 100,000 USD to support the company’s earliest exploratory work on mRNA platform development and thermostable mRNA delivery formulations. These formulations are composed of novel lipids and polymers designed by PopVax. In September 2024, PopVax initiated the first animal study to determine the efficacy of a formulation from this project. The Principal Investigator for this project is Dr. Maunish Barvalia, PopVax’s Vice President of Platform Technologies, who previously worked with pioneering nucleic acid delivery research groups at NanoVation Therapeutics and during his PhD at the University of British Columbia in Canada. “We at PopVax are delighted to receive support to develop novel thermostable delivery formulations for mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, a critical challenge that is central to our public health mission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines were designed against the novel pathogen in three days, entered clinical trials less than two months from conception, and were able to scale to billions of manufactured doses in just one year. This speed, enabled by the flexibility of mRNA technology, was critical at a time when just days of delays meant potentially thousands of lives lost. The mRNA vaccines approved in the United States and Europe, however, required storage temperatures between -20 °C and -80 °C, which put them out of reach of developing countries without extensive supply chains that are able to maintain those below-freezing temperatures,” said Soham Sankaran, Founder & Managing Director of PopVax. “The delivery formulations we are developing as part of this project are intended to be stable at normal refrigerator temperatures while retaining their potency across a range of routes of administration. This will enable rapid, population-scale distribution of new mRNA vaccines and therapeutics to combat infectious disease in developing countries – both potential future pandemics and the deadly pathogens already among us.” PopVax ( https://popvax.com ) has developed a novel mRNA architecture for immunogen display on virus-like particles (VLPs), a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform for mRNA using PopVax-designed novel ionizable lipids, and a machine learning-enabled computational approach to protein design. Together with the company’s GMP-ready infrastructure and process for clinical dose production, these platforms collectively form the foundation of PopVax’s ability to rapidly take new mRNA biomedicines from concept to clinic. Founded in late 2021, and previously incubated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), PopVax now employs 70 people across its computational, experimental, analytical, process development, and quality teams at the RNA Foundry, its integrated R&D and process development facility in Hyderabad. PopVax’s first program is focused on the development of a broadly-protective next-generation COVID-19 vaccine covering both present and predicted future variants of SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine candidate is expected to enter human clinical trials in the United States of America in early 2025. PopVax has six novel vaccine candidates in its preclinical pipeline, and expects to initiate five clinical trials over the next two years. SOURCE: PopVax

EATONTOWN, N.J., Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Christopher C. Gillis, MD, FRCSC, FAANS is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions in Revolutionizing Spine Surgery with Minimally Invasive Techniques. Continue Reading Christopher C Gillis MD FRCSC FAANS Dr. Christopher C. Gillis, MD, FRCSC, FAANS, a prominent leader in spine surgery, is redefining the landscape of spinal health with his innovative approach to minimally invasive spine treatments and advanced spine navigation. Known for his expertise in motion-sparing spine treatments and spine deformity corrections, Dr. Gillis is at the forefront of a transformative era in spinal healthcare. Dr. Gillis's journey in medicine began with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Dalhousie University, followed by an MD from the Schulich School of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario in 2008. His residency at the University of British Columbia laid a strong foundation for his career, which was further enhanced by advanced training in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery through a clinical fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. His educational background equips him with a comprehensive understanding of spine surgery, from fundamental principles to cutting-edge techniques. As a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRSCS) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS), Dr. Gillis is deeply involved in professional circles dedicated to advancing neurological and spinal health. His affiliations with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and its Spine and Peripheral Nerve subsection reflect his commitment to staying at the forefront of his field. Dr. Gillis has distinguished himself through pioneering work in minimally invasive spine techniques and his specialization in addressing spine deformities with minimal surgery. His dedication to advancing surgical methods is evident in his role as Spine Programs Medical Director and Assistant Professor at the Division of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Additionally, he serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at New York University, where he contributes to the education and training of future neurosurgeons. With 26 peer-reviewed publications, 16 book chapters, and 12 international presentations, Dr. Gillis is recognized globally for his contributions to spine surgery. His research and insights are pivotal in shaping the future of spinal health, and his work continues to inspire and inform the medical community. Dr. Gillis's personal interests include playing bass guitar in a classic rock band, showcasing his diverse talents and interests beyond the operating room. His mentors, Dr. Dvorjak, Dr. Fessler, and Dr. Traynelis, have been instrumental in his professional development, guiding him towards excellence in his field. Married to Estelle, Dr. Gillis is grateful for her unwavering support throughout his career. As he looks to the future, Dr. Gillis remains dedicated to furthering advancements in minimally invasive spine surgery and spine robotics, always with a focus on achieving the best results with minimal intervention. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE The Inner Circle WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Alpha-9 Oncology has raised $175m in a Series C funding round to advance its pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals. Credit: eamesBot via Shutterstock. Alpha-9 Oncology is the latest radiopharma to raise funds, drawing in $175m in Series C financing, to advance its radiopharmaceutical candidates through clinical trials and expand its research and development (R&D) capabilities. Vancouver, Canada-based Alpha-9 shared that it will advance its pipeline of preclinical candidates to the “clinic-ready” stage. While the company has not disclosed which of its assets in particular will be advanced, the company has several preclinical programs targeting MC1R, PSMA, GRPR, CXCR4, and B1R, as per GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Center. In May 2024, Alpha-9 announced the dosing of the first patient in its Phase I study for the MC1R programme, dubbed A9-3202. This peptide-based radiopharmaceutical targets the melanocortin 1 receptor for imaging locally advanced or metastatic melanoma. The trial is evaluating A9-3202’s tumour uptake and distribution in normal tissue among participants with melanoma. This latest financing comes after a flood of investment into the radiopharma arena over the last few years. Earlier this month, Aktis Oncology raised $175m to support the development of its new radiopharmaceuticals, including a first-in-class Nectin-4-targeted miniprotein radioconjugate. Big pharma has jumped on the radiopharma train too, with Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Novartis , and Eli Lilly signing acquisition deals worth $4.2bn , $1.75bn , and $1.4bn, respectively. Alpha-9’s Series C – co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and Ascenta Capital – builds on a $75m Series B in December 2022, and a $8.9m Series A in 2021, three years after the company spun-out from the University of British Columbia. Other participating investors in this round included a16z Bio + Health, RA Capital Management, Janus Henderson Investors and Samsara BioCapital. See Also: UPFs fuelling ‘alarming rise of chronic diseases’ in india FDA grants ODD to Modalis’ MDL-101 to treat LAMA2-CMD Alpha-9 said its funding will also support ongoing investments in its discovery capabilities, as well as the expansion of manufacturing and isotope supply partnerships. The company recently completed the construction of a manufacturing facility in Vancouver, Canada. Last month, Telix Pharmaceuticals paid $230m upfront to acquire US-based radioisotope manufacturer RLS Radiopharmacies to expand its manufacturing footprint in the US. Venture financing for innovative radiopharmaceutical drugs has witnessed an approximately 550% increase from $63m in 2017 to $408m in 2023 YTD (year-to-date) total deal value in the US, according to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Center Deals Database. GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology. In the announcement accompanying the financing, Alpha-9’s CEO David Hirsch said: “Over the last few years, Alpha-9 has built a leading radiopharmaceutical company with a deep pipeline and robust infrastructure.”