Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc. says its new mRNA vaccine program for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis has achieved a preclinical proof-of-concept milestone.
The candidate was developed in partnership with Everest Medicines utilizing Providence’s clinically validated mRNA technology platform.
“We are pleased to demonstrate that Providence’s mRNA technology supports development of additional products that fight a number of infectious diseases,” said Brad Sorenson, chief executive officer of Providence Therapeutics.
“We look forward to continuing to advance our rabies mRNA vaccine program with Everest as a critical part of a growing pipeline of mRNA vaccine candidates for infectious diseases with unmet needs around the world.”
Comparison study
In a head-to-head immunogenicity comparison study with a commercial inactivated rabies vaccine, mice dosed with Providence’s pre-clinical rabies vaccine candidate produced higher levels of serum neutralizing antibodies than those of mice dosed with the comparator vaccine. Providence’s candidate also induced a significantly higher degree of T-cell-mediated immune response than the comparator vaccine. These positive results support the clinical development of the rabies vaccine.
Canadian company Providence Therapeutics and Everest hold 50/50 global rights to develop and commercialize the rabies vaccine. Achieving this preclinical proof-of-concept milestone triggers the execution of a 3,492,365-share transfer of Everest’s publicly traded shares to Providence Therapeutics.
About rabies
Rabies is a zoonotic, viral disease. While it remains a serious threat to public health, the disease is vaccine-preventable with proper treatment. Every year, more than 29 million people worldwide receive a post-bite rabies vaccination. If received soon after exposure, it can effectively prevent the onset of symptoms.
Once clinical symptoms appear, however, the disease is virtually 100% fatal. More than 95% of human deaths from rabies occur in Asia and Africa, predominantly affecting vulnerable populations in remote rural locations.
About Providence Therapeutics
Providence Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing mRNA therapeutics and vaccines with focus on infectious diseases and oncology. It was initially founded as a cancer vaccines company in 2015. However, in response the need for a COVID-19 vaccine, it expanded beyond oncology therapies to develop an mRNA vaccine for COVID-19.
Providence Therapeutics works with industry collaborators, universities, nongovernmental agencies and multiple arms of the Government of Canada to discover and develop vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases and cancer.
This has resulted in the development of an mRNA vaccine platform. The platform includes a proprietary design algorithm and proprietary, scalable manufacturing processes.