Newswise – BROOKLYN, NY, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – Calder Biosciences, Inc., a next-generation vaccine company, was published in a Nature Communications article introducing and validating the application of Calder’s “3D Vaxlock” platform technology. When applied to the F protein of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as a vaccine immunogen, Calder’s 3D Vaxlock technology achieves an unprecedented immune response, 11 times stronger than the industry standard comparator.
Applying the technology not only dramatically improves efficacy, but also improves the shelf life of the vaccine at refrigerated temperatures, making distribution and delivery easier. The 11-fold higher responses are measured by the antibodies produced, which neutralize the virus upon contact and thus prevent infection. Calder’s vaccine also shows an improvement in the quality of immune responses elicited, as a greater proportion of the antibodies produced neutralize the virus.
2023 was an exciting year for developments in RSV prevention, given the groundbreaking successes of GSK and Pfizer in obtaining the license for the first RSV vaccines, Arexvy and Abrysvo, for use in the elderly and for vaccination of mothers. While these approvals have already done much to improve human health, the published data suggests that adults over 75 represent a patient group that could greatly benefit from further potency improvements.
“There remains an urgent need for vaccines that provide good protection for those over 75 and those who are frail. And protecting newborn children over a longer period of time through maternal vaccination remains an important goal.” said Dr. Florian Schödel, member of Calder’s scientific advisory board. In the Nature Communications manuscript, Calder shows that a high dose of his RSV vaccine in old, immunosenescent animals produces responses that are analogous to responses in the control group of young animals.
Calder’s 3D Vaxlock technology creates zero-length carbon-carbon bonds between tyrosine residues in target vaccine immunogens. This technology combines structure-based design and a novel bioprocess. The bindings are site-specific and targeted to preserve a protein’s 3D shape in the regions that elicit the best immune responses, achieving best-in-class protection.
“A new stabilization technology as clean and precise as this is exactly what we need to realize the full potential of protein vaccines.” Chris Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Calder, described the potential of the technology. Unlike disulfide bonds, dityrosine bonds are irreversible and their formation is catalyzed after the protein is fully folded into its original state.
In addition to the RSV program, Calder is applying its technology to universal influenza and Epstein-Barr virus vaccines. “In the wake of the Covid pandemic, the benefits of vaccination on human health are undeniable. Our technology will revolutionize the vaccine space and make vaccines even safer and more effective.” said Calder’s co-founder and CSO Mark Yondola, who is also the lead author of the paper. Calder also plans to use its technology more broadly in protein engineering, adding thermostability to additional subunit vaccines, biologics or other targets as needed.