Preclinical Data on PIV5-based Intranasal Vaccine Against Lyme Disease Demonstrates Durable Immune Response

Research Published in NPJ Vaccines

ATHENS, Ga. & MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CyanVac LLC, a clinical-stage intranasal vaccine company developing PIV5-vectored vaccines that harness the full breadth of the immune system to protect against serious infectious diseases, and Immuno Technologies, Inc., a research and development company working on vaccines and diagnostics for Lyme disease, today announced the publication in NPJ Vaccines of preclinical data showing that mice inoculated with a PIV5-based intranasal vaccine against Lyme disease demonstrated long-lasting neutralizing antibody responses and long-term protection of up to 15 months against multiple strains of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease.

“Vaccines developed using our proprietary PIV5-based platform have generated long-term immune responses for a range of pathogens in preclinical models and have demonstrated very encouraging human results in RSV and COVID-19,” said Biao He, Ph.D., founder and CEO of CyanVac and an author on the article. “This peer-reviewed research on a vaccine candidate against Lyme disease demonstrates the ability of the PIV5 platform to stimulate durable immune responses against a vector-borne pathogen, broadening its utility. Importantly, because we can rapidly mobilize our platform for emerging and established pathogens, we can respond quickly as public health needs dictate.”

Lyme disease, which is transmitted after a bite of an infected deer tick, is a major public health issue in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the US, and is estimated to affect more than 450,000 people annually. The majority of individuals with Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. However, in a subset of infected individuals, it can become a progressive and potentially debilitating disease characterized by a wide array of clinical manifestations affecting various organs of the body. It is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the US and Europe, yet there is no licensed vaccine available.

In the article entitled “Intranasal vaccine for Lyme disease provides protection against tick transmitted Borrelia burgdorferi beyond one year,” a two-dose course of the PIV5-based intranasal Lyme vaccine was shown to provide superior protection against challenge with ticks carrying up to 19 different B. burgdorferi strains, when compared against a subcutaneous Lyme vaccine control (purified recombinant OspA_B31 in alum adjuvant). This superior protection was seen in challenge studies performed at 9 and 15 months after immunization. Also, neutralizing antibody activity against B. burgdorferi was maintained at higher levels in the intranasally vaccinated mice than in the subcutaneously vaccinated mice for up to 18 months post-immunization.

“With the most advanced vaccine candidate for Lyme disease in development requiring three intramuscular injections plus a booster, there is a large gap that a technology like our PIV5-based platform can fill,” continued Dr. He. “These preclinical data showing long lasting protection against infection after a prime-boost immunization are extremely encouraging.”

About CyanVac and Blue Lake Biotechnology

CyanVac LLC and its affiliate, Blue Lake Biotechnology, Inc., are developing intranasal vaccines that harness a full range of immune responses to prevent serious infectious diseases and protect the health of vulnerable populations. Our platform uses a proprietary parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) vector into which a foreign gene from a targeted pathogen is inserted. We have generated a robust clinical-stage pipeline of best-in-class vaccines designed to overcome the limitations of existing vaccine technologies. Our lead product candidates have demonstrated potential for high efficacy and durability with few vaccine-related side effects. Learn more at www.cyanvacllc.com.

About Immuno Technologies

Immuno Technologies, Inc is a preclinical research and development company working on vaccines and diagnostic assays for infectious diseases. As products evolve from the laboratory to the next stage of early development, the company’s long term goal is to design prototypes and spin off these technologies to new ventures and/or seek strategic alliances with partners with commercialization capabilities. The company’s main area of interest is Lyme disease. For more information visit www.immunotechnologies.com.

Acknowledgements

Research reported in this press release was supported by grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01AI139267, R43AI155211, and R44AI167605, and by funding from CyanVac LLC. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Carolyn Hawley
Inizio Evoke Comms
carolyn.hawley@inizioevoke.com
619-849-5382

CyanVac LLC contact:
Samuel Wu, Chief Business Officer
swu@cyanvacllc.com
650-609-2231