Amyris and The Infectious Disease Research Institute Enter into Exclusive License for Novel RNA Vaccine Platform, Beginning with COVID-19 Vaccine
Amyris, Inc. (AMRS) has signed a Collaboration and License Agreement with the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) to advance a novel RNA vaccine platform, focusing on a COVID-19 vaccine. This partnership combines IDRI's RNA technology with Amyris's semi-synthetic squalene, offering potential advantages like scalability and efficacy. Both organizations will co-own the resulting intellectual property, with a Phase 1 clinical trial expected to start mid-2021. The project aims to address COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, with a completion target in early 2022.
- Collaboration with IDRI to develop an RNA vaccine platform for COVID-19 and beyond.
- Potential advantages in scalability, efficacy, and sustainability compared to existing vaccines.
- Co-ownership of intellectual property from the vaccine development.
- Expected initiation of Phase 1 clinical trials around mid-2021.
- The project targets a completion timeframe in the first half of 2022.
- Dependence on IDRI's vaccine platform may pose risks if development is delayed or unsuccessful.
- Potential uncertainty surrounding the success of the project and market entry timeline.
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRS), a leading synthetic biotechnology company in Clean Health and Beauty markets through its consumer brands, and a top supplier of sustainable and natural ingredients, today announced the signing of a Collaboration Agreement and License Agreement with the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) to advance a novel ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccine platform, including accelerating the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The collaboration will combine IDRI's RNA vaccine platform, including IDRI's proprietary nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) platform, with Amyris's semi-synthetic squalene. This has the potential to offer differentiated advantages over other RNA vaccines, including superior scalability, efficacy, and sustainability.
Amyris will co-own intellectual property developed to create the COVID-19 vaccine, any rights in any combination of IDRI materials and Amyris squalene, the pre-clinical and Phase I clinical trial data, and the Clinical Study Report.
"We believe to have a differentiated vaccine platform that uses a replicating RNA molecule to express viral antigens, formulated and delivered with a nanostructured lipid carrier system that can be stockpiled for use across a variety of infectious diseases and cancers," said Dr. Corey Casper, Chief Executive Officer of IDRI. "We are delighted to be embarking on this critical program with Amyris and believe use of their novel, sustainable, semi-synthetic squalene will prove invaluable in our joint vaccine development efforts."
"We are excited to combine IDRI's expertise in vaccines with our synthetic biology platform to deliver an effective and sustainable vaccine for COVID-19," said John Melo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amyris. "A much needed second generation vaccine will have a fast-follower pharmaceutical advantage and solve expected supply chain and manufacturing bottlenecks. Amyris has a strong research partnership with Universidade Católica Portuguesa. As part of this relationship we have advanced preliminary approval of a grant to fund the program through Phase 1 trials. We anticipate initiating a Phase 1 clinical trial around mid-2021."
Vaccines licensed from IDRI to Amyris are originally intended for COVID-19, plus up to three additional indications, and Amyris will have the right to develop and commercialize each such vaccine for all fields of use and all indications (excluding zika, yellow fever and Epstein-Barr Virus), including pandemic or seasonal influenza, and certain cancer treatments.
The vaccine development collaboration project for COVID-19 is expected to conclude in the first half of 2022.
About Amyris
Amyris (Nasdaq: AMRS) is a science and technology leader in the research, development and production of sustainable ingredients for the Clean Health & Beauty and Flavors & Fragrances markets. Amyris uses an impressive array of exclusive technologies, including state-of-the-art machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence. Our ingredients are included in over 3,000 products from the world's top brands, reaching more than 200 million consumers. Amyris is proud to own three consumer brands - all built around its No Compromise® promise of clean ingredients: Biossance™ clean beauty skincare, Pipette™ clean baby skincare and Purecane™, a zero-calorie sweetener naturally derived from sugarcane. For more information, please visit www.amyris.com.
About IDRI
As a nonprofit global health organization, IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute) takes a comprehensive approach to combat infectious diseases and cancer, combining the high-quality science of a research organization with the product development capabilities of a biotech company to create vaccines and therapeutics. IDRI combines passion for improving human health with the understanding that it is not just what our scientists know about disease, but what we do to change its course that will have the greatest impact. Founded in 1993, IDRI has 55 employees headquartered in Seattle with more than 100 partners/collaborators around the world. For more information, visit www.idri.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements, and any statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the advantages of IDRI's RNA vaccine platform, enhancement of IDRI's RNA vaccine platform resulting from Amyris' adjuvant, capacity of Amyris' adjuvant to facilitate people's access to vaccines, the efficacy, performance, sustainability and scalability of the IDRI vaccine platform when combined with Amyris' sugarcane-derived squalene, the potential to create co-owned joint intellectual property, the success of the project, the creation of clinical trial data, the progression of the project through production of a Clinical Study Report, possibility of receipt of approval of grant and grant funds, amount and use of any grant funds, involvement by Universidade Católica Portuguesa in grant application, funding and project, project timeline and expected completion plans to commercialize the vaccine solution, and ability of the project's vaccine solution to reach the market on an accelerated basis. These statements are based on management's current expectations, and actual results and future events may differ materially due to risks and uncertainties, including risks related to Amyris' liquidity and ability to fund operating and capital expenses, risks related to potential delays or failures in development, production and commercialization of products, risks related to Amyris' reliance on third parties, and other risks detailed from time to time in filings Amyris makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Amyris disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Amyris, the Amyris logo, No Compromise, Biossance, Pipette, and Purecane are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amyris, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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