DBV Technologies, creator of Viaskin, has entered into a collaboration agreement with BioNet-Asia and the University of Geneva (UNIGE) to work on a whooping cough (pertussis) booster vaccine.
The clinical proof of concept product candidate will combine BioNet's unique recombinant non-toxic Pertussis Toxin (rPT) with DBV's Viaskin technology, which allows for the epicutaneous delivery of the antigen without any adjuvant.
The DBV-BioNet-UNIGE research and development collaboration will consist of a non-clinical component and a clinical development program.
The non-clinical study program will measure the specific immunity and protective responses elicited by a Viaskin pertussis antigens boost in a Bordetella pertussis respiratory murine model.
The clinical study program will be initiated in the second half of 2014 to evaluate the boosting influence of recombinant non-toxic pertussis toxin delivered by Viaskin in a Phase I, proof-of-concept, study performed under the responsibility of Pr. Siegrist from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.
This Phase I clinical trial will assess the safety and immunogenicity of Viaskin-PT and evaluate the humoral and cellular responses in healthy adults.
DBV Technologies chairman and CEO Dr Pierre-Henri Benhamou noted the company is honored to collaborate with Siegrist, Lambert and the team of the University of Geneva on this very exciting new application of the Viaskin Platform for booster vaccination.
"We consider as a privilege to be the first European partner of BioNet in the frame of such a trustful collaboration with Dr. Pham Hong Thai and Dr. Jean Petre and the rest of BioNet team. This exceptional partnership with BioNet-Asia and the University of Geneva will combine unique world class scientific and technological expertise.
"With BioNet's experience in recombinant vaccine antigens, coupled with DBV's epicutaneous delivery method and the University of Geneva's outstanding vaccinology track record, this collaboration could open a new field to the delivery of vaccines, allowing to increase compliance and help control diseases such as pertussis that are unfortunately on the rise again. This agreement further underscores the far-reaching potential of the Viaskinplatform beyond food allergies," Dr Benhamou added.
Pertussis, commonly known as 'whooping cough', is a very contagious respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.