Soligenix, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SNGX) (Soligenix or the Company), formerly known as DOR BioPharma, Inc., a late-stage biotechnology company, announced today that it has formed a consortium to develop thermostable technology to advance RiVax(TM) and other rapidly acting vaccines. Soligenix received a $9.4 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support this work.
A key component of this initiative is the formation of collaborative partnerships between industry and academic researchers from different disciplines. Soligenix will partner with academic institutions, including the University of Colorado, the University of Kansas, and the Tulane National Primate Research Center. Industry partners include SRI International, Health Research Inc, Battelle Memorial Institute, Nanotherapeutics, and BioCon Inc.
As part of the initiative, Soligenix has executed an option agreement with the University of Colorado. The agreement covers novel technology to develop vaccines that can maintain stability at elevated temperatures. This new technology will form the cornerstone of the R&D effort. Work will involve the development of formulation and manufacturing processes for vaccines, including RiVax(TM), that are stable at elevated temperatures. An additional goal will be the development of improved thermostable adjuvants expected to result in rapidly acting vaccines that can be given with fewer injections over shorter intervals.
"Each of our academic and industry consortium members brings impressive expertise to our vaccine stabilization program," said Dr. Robert N. Brey, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Soligenix. "This association has the potential to address the practical issue of long-term stability in stockpiled biodefense vaccines, using a technology basis that can ultimately be applied to other commercial vaccine products."
"Our progress with RiVax(TM) has been notable, and this grant award further validates the previous work and merits of our biodefense program," stated Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and CEO of Soligenix. "We look forward to working with our outstanding partners in this consortium to develop thermally stable biodefense vaccines to address two high-priority biothreats."
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