Enesi Pharma and BARDA Drive enter Public-Private Partnership to Develop ImplaVax® Solid Dose Vaccine Delivery Technology against Influenza

OXFORD, UK – 15 April 2019 – Enesi Pharma (“Enesi”), an innovative pharmaceutical company developing unique injectable solid dose drug-device vaccine products, announces it has entered a public-private partnership with the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority’s (BARDA) DRIVe (Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures) initiative to develop new vaccines against influenza enabled by Enesi's ImplaVax® device and formulation technology.

 

ImplaVax® is a novel formulation and needle-free device technology that enables solid dose vaccine implants to be delivered quickly under the skin. The aim of this technology is for healthcare providers or individuals themselves to administer the vaccine using this simple, convenient and reusable needle-free device. ImplaVax® also has the potential to generate improved immune responses, along with reduced storage and distribution costs.

 

This new programme aims to provide a cost-effective technological innovation that improves vaccination uptake, coverage, compliance and preparedness and is part of DRIVe’s innovative health security technologies portfolio. DRIVe is seeking and funding extremely bold, radical and disruptive innovative solutions that have the ability to transform health security. Relevant projects in this portfolio may create new technologies or leverage existing technologies in an innovative, disruptive way.

 

Under the programme, Enesi will leverage its ImplaVax® platform, combining a protective influenza vaccine with its simple and robust needle-free vaccine delivery system, enhancing the vaccine’s efficacy, thermal stability and rapid administration to a target population. ImplaVax® could become a potentially disruptive technology not only for pandemic influenza, but for multiple vaccines, vaccination protocols, infectious diseases and biological threats.

 

David Hipkiss, Enesi CEO, commented:

 

“We are extremely proud to have been selected by BARDA DRIVe for this partnership. The team at DRIVe has been incredibly supportive of Enesi and clearly recognize the need to revolutionize vaccine delivery as part of their mission to advance research and development of medical countermeasures against serious health security threats. This is the latest in a series of key strategic partnerships and represents the next step in our journey to make a tangible difference to global healthcare.”

 

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, DRIVe, under this contract. 

 

This DRIVe project will involve analytical and pre-clinical evaluation of novel ImplaVax®-enabled solid dose implant formulations of marketed influenza vaccines in validated models. In-vitro tests will include confirmation of titer generation, mechanical strength and surety of implantation. In-vivo testing will assess comparative efficacy and dosing regimens. Performance of solid dose implants versus placebo and active control delivered by needle and syringe will also be measured. The overall aim is to generate compelling evidence to support the use of solid dose presentations as the preferred method of vaccination in a future pandemic influenza event.