Profectus BioSciences gets funding to develop VesiculoVax Zaire-Ebola virus vaccine

Profectus BioSciences, Inc., a clinical-stage vaccine company developing novel vaccines for the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, announced today that the Department of Defense (DoD) through the Medical Countermeasure Systems-Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program (MCS-JVAP), a subordinate command of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, Edgewood, MD, has contracted the manufacture and IND-enabling preclinical testing of the Profectus trivalent Ebola/Marburg vaccine. In addition, the USACC has contracted for clinical evaluation of the VesiculoVax™ Zaire-Ebola virus vaccine to meet the current outbreak in West Africa. The $9.5 million award has been made with Battelle Memorial Institute through the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, & Nuclear Defense Information Analysis Center (CBRNIAC) contract, a Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC®) owned, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract vehicle for providing comprehensive scientific and technical research and analysis supporting the Department of Defense CBRN and Homeland Defense communities. Battelle has contracted with Profectus for manufacturing and clinical evaluation and with Charles River Laboratories and Biologics Consulting Group for preclinical testing and IND preparation, respectively.

"While the urgent need today is for a vaccine that protects against the current Ebola Zaire outbreak, we are also anticipating the needs for tomorrow. We are continuing to develop a trivalent vaccine that will protect our service members and DoD civilians against the major filovirus threats: Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, and Marburg viruses," said LTC Victor Suarez, MCS-JVAP Joint Product Manager. "The available evidence suggests that a trivalent vaccine, such as the one under development by Profectus, is the desired end point as it would simultaneously offer protection against the current Ebola Zaire outbreak and also meet the long-term goals of preventing future infections by the Ebola Sudan and Marburg viruses. The DoD is optimistic that its long-term commitment to identifying and supporting safe and effective trivalent filovirus vaccines is coming to fruition and remains supportive to advancing the Profectus BioSciences trivalent Ebola/Marburg vaccine into human clinical trials as rapidly as possible."

"We are gratified that the Department of the Defense has recognized the potential of Profectus' VesiculoVax™ Zaire-Ebola virus vaccine to combat the current outbreak in West Africa, and the potential of our multi-component vaccine to protect civilians and military personnel against all strains of filoviruses, whether from natural outbreak or deliberate misuse." said John Eldridge, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Profectus. "More than 15 years have been invested in developing the genetically attenuated rVSVN4CT1 VesiculoVax™ vaccine delivery platform and demonstrating its safety in multiple clinical trials. To date, it is the only vaccine to demonstrate single-dose protection of monkeys against lethal challenge with highly virulent low-passage Ebola and Marburg viruses."