Biological E, Ohio State Innovation Foundation ink licensing pact for COVID vaccine technology

The Ohio college team's approach utilises the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a target protein for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, generating a series of attenuated recombinant measles viruses (rMeVs) expressing SARS-CoV-2 antigens.

All resultant rMeVs, the basis for the vaccine candidates, grow to high virus titer in Vero cells, a WHO-approved cell line for vaccine production. They were also shown to express the recombinant S antigens, a critical step in developing a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

The rMeV-based SARs-CoV-2 vaccine candidates have proceeded through proof-of-concept trials in multiple animal models - demonstrating successful production of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

"BE has been working to develop a safe and effective vaccine for the COVID-19. BE is very happy to help further this innovation and expand that effort," said Mahima Datla, Managing Director, Biological E.

"With this licensing transaction, we have expanded the repertoire of the candidate vaccine(s) that we are evaluating, both in terms of the antigen and the platform technology," said Narender Dev Mantena, Director, BioE Holdings Inc., who heads BE's novel vaccine initiative.

Read also: Locally developed COVID vaccine could complete trials within 2 months: Dr Harsh Vardhan