Synopsis

Augmenta Biologicals is a seed-stage biopharmaceutical company developing new technologies for improved immunization without the need for conventional immune adjuvants.

Our technology provides a means for augmenting the potency of immunizations and vaccines by several orders of magnitude: a self-adjuvanting approach. Immunogens are coupled to an immunotargeting molecule, which routes the antigen(s) to the immune system via circulating red blood cells (in vivo opsonization). The result is greater immunity as well as greatly reduced amounts of required vaccine material. This enabling technology is being developed for near-term revenues in the immunization of mice for monoclonal antibody generation, for monoclonal and polyclonal antibody production in various animal species, for animal health vaccines and ultimately for human vaccines (prophylactic, therapeutic, bioterrorism, etc.). Any vaccine may be readily adapted with a simple chemical reaction for immunotargeting by this approach.

The worldwide vaccine market is in excess of $15B with a double-digit projected growth rate, something not seen in other areas of the pharmaceutical industry. It encompasses pediatric and adult, clinical and veterinary vaccines for protection against many infectious organisms. Potential indications also include targets such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune conditions, substance abuse, contraception, etc.

Certain aspects of vaccine use and manufacture present particular challenges. For example, many vaccine preparations require combination with immune adjuvants that provide non-specific immune stimulation. But only a few immune adjuvants are approved for human use; some are weak (alum) and others can have adverse side effects.

Another challenge is manufacturing capacity. The speedy production of vaccines for seasonal influenza is limited by the lead-time from identification of the season’s viral strain and the quantity of vaccine material that can be produced in time for use during the current season.

To address these challenges we provide a technology for the substantial enhancement of immunogen potency, permitting the use of minute quantities of vaccine material in the absence of non-specific immune adjuvants. The strategy uses immunotargeting to direct vaccine antigen to the immune system by a natural route (red blood cells) that results in a greatly potentiated antibody response.