Evaxion A/S (“Evaxion”), a clinical-stage TechBio company developing novel vaccines with its pioneering AI-Immunology™ platform, presents new data further supporting the multi-component concept of its cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine program EVX-V1.
Data is presented today in a poster session at the International Herpesvirus Workshop (IHW) 2026 taking place in Montreal, Canada.
EVX-V1 is a next-generation, multi-component CMV vaccine program designed with AI-Immunology.™ It combines novel protective B-cell antigens and T-cell epitopes complemented by known optimized structural B-cell antigens.
This broader multi-targeted strategy is expected to strengthen the protective potential of a future vaccine. The concept represents a scalable strategy for rational vaccine development across other herpesviruses.
We are excited by the new data which will guide the selection of antigens for a broadly protective CMV vaccine candidate and as such represent an important step forward for the EVX-V1 program. CMV remains a major clinical challenge, causing severe disease in immunocompromised individuals and infants, yet no licensed vaccine exists. EVX-V1 holds the potential to transform the future CMV treatment landscape.”
Birgitte Rønø, CSO and COO of Evaxion
The new data show that the AI-Immunology™ discovered novel T-cell epitopes have the potential to improve control of acute infection, latency and reactivation in CMV-infected mice. This complements previous findings of the novel B-cell antigens significantly reducing viral infection in preclinical models and the optimized known structural B-cell antigens mediating superior viral neutralization.
About EVX-V1
EVX-V1 is a next-generation, multi-component cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate combining novel AI-discovered antigens with AI-optimized versions of established CMV vaccine antigens. Through this combination, EVX-V1 attacks the virus from multiple, complementary angles. This broader multi-targeted strategy is expected to strengthen the protective potential of the vaccine.
With our AI-Immunology™ platform, we have uncovered novel antigens that are entirely new to the CMV vaccine research field. These previously unexplored CMV-antigens induce specific immune responses, inhibit viral infection and reduce cell-to-cell spread in cellular and animal viral infection models.
EVX-V1 is a combination of these antigens with our proprietary AI-optimized pre-fusion glycoprotein B (gB) antigen which has demonstrated superior performance compared to the traditional gB antigen, including enhanced CMV neutralization.
About CMV
About 1 in 200 babies is born with congenital CMV infection. About 1 in 5 babies with the infection will have congenital disabilities or other long-term health problems. CMV infects approximately 60% to 70% of adults in developed countries and nearly 100% in developing economies, driving demand for CMV treatment. Despite decades of research, no CMV vaccine has been approved to date.
CMV treatment market size was valued at $474.6 million in 2023 and is anticipated to register an annual growth (CAGR) of 6.6% between 2024 and 2032. This growth is propelled by increasing awareness and prevalence of CMV infection and the development of new and effective treatments.
CMV is the most complex of all herpes viruses and is a widespread infection transmitted in body fluids. Once infected, the virus stays for life. People with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients, can develop severe symptoms affecting, for example, eyes, lungs, and liver, and congenitally infected babies may suffer from intellectual disability and loss of vision and hearing.
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