Emergex Vaccines forms US subsidiary (Emergex USA) by acquisition of laboratories, technology and assets of US-based T cell specialist biotech ImmProNano

·         Acquisition brings critical technical pre-clinical vaccine development capabilities in-house and establishes US based Emergex subsidiary

·         Emergex uniquely develops novel 100% synthetic ‘set-point’ T cell priming vaccines to address some of the world’s most pathogenic infectious diseases

·         Current COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing threat of pandemic flu demonstrate urgent global need for safe, effective vaccines which can be rapidly developed and deployed

Abingdon, UK, 1 September 2020 – Emergex Vaccines Holding Limited (‘Emergex’), a company tackling major global infectious disease threats through the development of synthetic ‘set point’ vaccines which prime the T cell immune response, today announces that it has significantly strengthened its technology platform and formed US subsidiary, Emergex USA, by acquiring the laboratories, technology and assets of US-based biotech ImmProNano Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

ImmProNano (IPN), based in Doylestown, PA is a specialist contract research organization in the field of Human Leukocyte Antigen T cell immunology and immunoproteomics, utilizing state of the art mass-spectrometry to determine Class I major histocompatibility complex expression libraries of viral infected cells. These libraries are critical to the development of vaccines to high pathogen viruses and intracellular bacteria.  IPN also has unparalleled expertise in the T cell immunology of infectious disease and T cell vaccine development.

IPN has completed all pre-clinical testing in animals and ex vivo human samples for Emergex’s recent vaccine programs including Francisella tularensis, Yellow fever, Zika, Dengue, Influenza and COVID-19.

ImmProNano’s laboratory facilities and key employees will now form Emergex’s US subsidiary. The team will continue to work closely with Emergex’s state of the art UK R&D facility and also form critical interactions with Emergex’s other vaccine collaborators at George Mason University, USA and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of Singapore (A*STAR).   

Storme Moore-Thornicroft, co-founder and COO of Emergex, commented: “ImmProNano has been a trusted partner for several years, their deep expertise in T cell immunology complementing our novel approach to vaccine development. This acquisition establishes a US base and brings together key elements of the vaccine development process in-house, an important next step as we look to advance promising vaccine candidates in areas including Dengue Fever, pandemic flu and other globally important infectious diseases. The critical need for the ability to develop and manufacture potent vaccines in a timely and cost-effective manner has never been clearer and today’s agreement ensures Emergex is well placed to meet this goal.”