BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Nasdaq: BVXV), which focuses on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and other illnesses, today announced the signing of a term sheet that includes binding financial terms of contemplated definitive agreements with the Max Planck Society and the University Medical Center Göttingen in Germany. The parties intend to enter into a 5-year strategic research collaboration including an option for BiondVax to license innovative VHH antibodies. Frequently referred to as nanobodies*, VHH antibodies have the potential to serve as therapeutics and diagnostics for many diseases. The transaction is subject to execution of definitive agreements.
VHH antibodies developed by Professor Dirk Görlich, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and Professor Matthias Dobbelstein, Professor of Molecular Oncology at the University Medical Center Göttingen, exhibit key advantages over current industry standard human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). These include: the ability to bind to smaller target sites; significantly higher affinity to the target; higher stability which supports novel routes of administration such as inhalation; ease and lower cost of manufacturing; and potential for improved patient safety.
Upon execution of definitive agreements based on the term sheet signed today, the collaboration will begin with BiondVax's exclusive worldwide licensing of novel COVID-19 VHH antibody candidates shown in Görlich and Dobbelstein's labs to neutralize all known major COVID-19 variants of concern at around 100-times lower drug concentrations than current COVID-19 mAbs and all other reported COVID-19 VHH antibodies. BiondVax anticipates completing preclinical proof-of-concept inhalation studies in 2022 and initiating human clinical trials in 2023.
Görlich and Dobbelstein will also conduct research on additional molecular targets for which the parties believe VHH antibodies have clear advantages over existing drugs used against various diseases. These targets are the basis for validated and currently marketed mAbs including for autoimmune conditions such as psoriasis, asthma, macular degeneration, and psoriatic arthritis. BiondVax will have an exclusive option for an exclusive worldwide license to advance these additional VHH antibodies through preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. Notably, these VHH antibodies can be mass-produced through recombinant protein manufacturing in sites such as BiondVax's state-of-the-art facility in Jerusalem.
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