ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT), a Canadian vaccine development company, announced a research partnership with FIT Biotech, a Finland-based , clinical stage company that develops DNA vaccines. This research will formulate FIT Biotech's GTU MultiHIV DNA plasmid with IVT's DepoVax vaccine delivery system to advance a therapeutic HIV vaccine.
"DepoVax will act as a vector to deliver FIT Biotech's GTU MultiHIV DNA vaccine and our goal is to develop a more sophisticated and efficient HIV vaccine candidate," commented Dr. Marc Mansour, Vice President R&D at IVT.
The development of an HIV vaccine is complicated by the ability of the virus to mutate rapidly. FIT Biotech has addressed this challenge by designing a synthetic DNA plasmid, known as GTU MultiHIV that covers the antigenic variability within HIV strains. GTU MultiHIV and is comprised of the multi-epitope/multivalent HIV antigens. As FIT Biotech's lead vaccine candidate, GTU MultiHIV has the potential to trigger an immune response that slows the progression of HIV in infected individuals.
IVT's pre-clinical research demonstrates that DepoVax effectively delivers DNA plasmids into draining lymph nodes with as little as one dose. The DepoVax platform uses liposomes to encapsulate a target antigen, like GTU MultiHIV, and adjuvant. DepoVax also relies on a hydrophobic carrier to create a depot effect that significantly enhances vaccine induced cell-mediated and humoral immunity.