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news.Belgium-based biotech company Algonomics and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, or IAVI, have formed a collaboration to modify an HIV protein in order to improve immune responses elicited by HIV vaccine candidates that include the protein as an insert.
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The project utilizes a proprietary antigen design technology developed by Algonomics and will be funded by IAVI’s Innovation Fund, a funding mechanism that seeks out novel and typically high-risk technologies that could provide breakthroughs in the design and development of novel AIDS vaccine candidates.
The fund has an initial three-year commitment of $10 million, half of which will be financed by a $5 million grant to IAVI from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Under the agreement, Algonomics and IAVI will collaborate to alter epitopes in the HIV gag protein to broaden immune responses and direct them towards conserved regions of the protein.
The project utilizes Epibase, a tool to identify T-cell epitopes, those parts of the HIV Gag protein that generates T-cell responses. The newly designed protein will be tested for its ability to generate broader T-cell responses. Algonomics will perform in vitro testing of immune responses using its Epibase-IV technology.
Philippe Stas, CEO of Algonomics, said: Entering this collaboration with IAVI’s research teams further expands our commitment to biotherapeutics design. Contributing to the development of a novel type of vaccine to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS is a strong motivator for our scientists.