ExeVir Bio Announces Positive Virus Neutralization Data for XVR012 Against Emerging COVID-19 Omicron Variants
Can provide protection for millions of immuno-compromised and elderly who are most vulnerable to COVID-19
Ghent, Belgium, 15 January 2024: ExeVir Bio, a biotech company developing robust heavy chain-only antibody therapies for broad protection against infectious diseases, today announced new data demonstrating that its antibodies are highly potent in neutralizing currently circulating COVID-19 Omicron variants.
All authorized SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic antibodies that have been used in the clinic show severe to complete loss of virus neutralization potency against the currently circulating variants. ExeVir’s XVR012, a cocktail of XVR013m and XVR014, targets three distinct epitopes highly conserved across the broad sarbecovirus subgenus of Coronaviridae to minimize the risk for viral escape. XVR013m is a heavy chain-only antibody targeting a unique membrane-proximal epitope in the S2 subunit of the spike protein. XVR014 is a bispecific heavy chain-only antibody that, complementary to XVR013m, targets two epitopes in the receptor-binding domain of the S1 subunit of the spike protein. XVR013m and XVR014 neutralize both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.
The cocktail of XVR012 demonstrates exceptional neutralization potency, with an IC50 range of 0.8 to 1.8 ng/mL (pseudovirus neutralization assay) against all SARS-CoV-2 variants evaluated so far, including the currently highly prevalent E.G.5.1, HV.1 and BA.2.86.1. The activity against new circulating variants under monitoring is continually being tested.
ExeVir is currently gearing up to start the clinical development of both the combination XVR012, as well as its individual components XVR013m and XVR014.
Dr. Torsten Mummenbrauer, CEO of ExeVir, said: “Whilst an end was declared to COVID-19 as a public health emergency by the WHO, the pandemic is still continuing, and COVID-19 has sadly not been conquered. It remains an ongoing life-threatening challenge for immunocompromised patients, and the elderly, who total around 4%1 and 10%2 respectively of the world population and remain at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease, despite the availability of current vaccines. Our unique and powerful approach of targeting three highly conserved epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with our cocktail XVR012 is anticipated to be highly potent against virtually all currently circulating variants under monitoring, including EG.5.1, HV.1, and BA.2.86.1. There is still a strong need for novel antibodies that work against the newest Omicron variants, and these new data demonstrate that ours can be part of the solution.”
References
- Impact of COVID-19 on immunocompromised populations during the Omicron era: insights from the observational population-based INFORM study, Evans et al, The Lancet, 2023: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762%2823%2900166-7/fulltext.
2. World population above 65 years old: Population ages 65 and above, total | Data (worldbank.org)
