— IDBiologics will develop the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) drug that neutralizes Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV), an epidemic risk in Africa and a potential biothreat–
–IDBiologics and Vanderbilt University are members of the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center and share the mission of leveraging antibody medicines to counter future pandemics
PALO ALTO, Calif. – May 12, 2023 – IDBiologics, Inc., a private biotechnology company developing human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for the treatment and prevention of serious infectious diseases, today announced they have entered into a contract with the United States Department of Defense (DOD). The overall objective is to accelerate development of human mAbs as medical countermeasures against targeted infectious disease threats. The first project is to make a two antibody medicine to prevent infection by Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). The initial phase of the contract will fund preclinical development through completion of Phase 1 human clinical studies.
Vanderbilt University licensed the rights to the RVFV antibodies to IDBiologics. Professor James Crowe and his laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center will lead the preclinical assessment of the in vitro activity of the mAb medicine. IDBiologics will lead preclinical safety and toxicology studies, development of a manufacturing process for the drug, production of the drug for clinical trials, and the execution of the Phase 1 clinical trial.
The Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center (GPPBC) will be assisting with planning late-stage development of the antibody medicine, its stockpiling and its long-term use. GPPBC and these activities are not part of scope of, nor funded by this DOD contract. GPPBC was created by the non-profit Connected DMV during the COVID-19 Pandemic to address future pandemic threats with a recognition of the speed, power of monoclonal antibodies to outperform vaccines in providing immune defense, especially for immunocompromised and vulnerable populations.
Chuck Haines, President of IDBiologics, said, “This award will help to accelerate novel solutions and protect the general public, first responders, and our warfighters, especially when there are no vaccines or antiviral medicines available. We are excited to work with our partners at the Department of Defense, Vanderbilt, and GPPBC to move these outstanding mAbs forward. Fighting infectious diseases is why IDBiologics was founded, and we look forward to contributing to many more such programs as part of the vision for AHEAD100 whose purpose is to find antibody solutions for the world’s most challenging infectious diseases.”
James E. Crowe, Jr., M.D. University Distinguished Professor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and co-founder of IDBiologics, said, “Scientific and digital innovations allow for better and faster antibody drug discovery, and we must capitalize on these to develop a full arsenal of effective treatments for infectious disease threats. This prototype program for Rift Valley fever represents a critical step forward in our efforts to stay ahead of global health threats.”
Stu Solomon, Chairman of the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center, said, “The importance of national and global collaboration in advance of infectious disease outbreaks cannot be overstated. Through our work with the AHEAD100 program, we are bringing together experts from across sectors and geographies to find proactive solutions for the world’s most challenging infectious diseases. We are grateful to IDBiologics for strategically aligning their proposal with the mission of the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center. We also express our appreciation to Montgomery County, the State of Maryland, philanthropists, and other organizations in developing this strategy for disease containment and protection upon outbreak. We are excited to see the program’s first disease, Rift Valley Fever Virus, being tackled expeditiously.
The contract was awarded by the Joint Project Lead for CBRND Enabling Biotechnologies (JPL CBRND-EB) within the DOD’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) under an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for development of the RVFV antibodies through completion of Phase 1 human clinical studies. The views expressed in this press release reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, nor the United States Government nor do they constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense of any specific non-federal entity.
About RVFV and anti-RVFV monoclonal antibodies
Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an emerging infection in sub-Saharan and North Africa that causes severe, hemorrhagic illness in humans and livestock and which has potential to cause epidemic outbreaks. Professor Crowe along with his colleagues at the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) isolated a panel of human mAbs from the blood of people who had survived RVFV infection and from those who had received an investigational vaccine against the virus. These mAbs recognize viral surface glycoproteins and have potent anti-viral neutralizing activity in preclinical animal models of RVFV infection.
About IDBiologics
IDBiologics is a private biotechnology company focused on the development of human monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of serious infectious diseases. The Company was founded in 2017 and seeded by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in response to the repeated threats of epidemics around the world including Ebola in West Africa and Zika in the Americas, and the successful demonstration of monoclonal antibodies as potential treatments. IDBiologics is developing a portfolio of monoclonal antibodies against BK, influenza and Zika viruses.
About the Connected DMV and the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center Connected DMV is an initiatives-based, charitable 501(c)(3) organization that works with regional organizations across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia – the DMV – to help drive ongoing improvements to social, digital, and physical infrastructure. Connected DMV focuses on initiatives that span local jurisdictions and require collaboration across the public, private, academia, and community sectors to best achieve the dual objectives of enduring economic growth and social equity. Learn more: https://www.connecteddmv.org/
The Global Pandemic Prevention and Biodefense Center (GPPBC) mission is to help prevent future outbreaks from becoming pandemics by developing a stockpile of human monoclonal antibodies in advance for emerging infectious diseases, and by integrating antibody distribution and delivery across the global health and pandemic prevention ecosystem (https://www.connecteddmv.org/pandemic-center).
Contacts
Chuck Haines
President
Source: IDBiologics, Inc.