The new patent provides protection for the company’s universal flu vaccine target, M2e, which is a viral peptide common in all flu strains.
Augmenta founder, president and CSO Dr. Paul Simon said the researchers knew that the red blood cells can increase antigen effectiveness.
"We have developed an injectable approach to harness this natural pathway, employing a versatile plug-and-play coupling method to turbo-charge antigens and elicit powerful, durable and protective immunity," Dr. Simon added.
The technology is designed to enhance the immune response towards a vaccine at the same time decreasing the vaccine dose, finally reducing the costs.
Augmenta’s technology that leverages a natural method of motivating the body’s immune system avoids the induction of inflammatory responses, which usually lead to vaccine associated side effects.
Upon the injection into the body, the vaccine that is based on conjugated antigen attaches to the surface protein on the red blood cells and reaches the liver and spleen.
Immune system of the body then respond to the vaccine and the macrophages and dendritic cells are produced at these organs, while B cells start producing antibodies in opposition to the foreign protein.