Precision NanoSystems And Aurora Vaccines Join Forces To Accelerate The Development Of Vaccine Candidate For Hepatitis C Virus

Global leader in non-viral delivery of genomic medicines, Precision NanoSystems (PNI), entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Aurora Vaccines to accelerate the development and manufacture of its Hepatitis C vaccine candidate. PNI will share its expertise in the development of the RNA payload platform and its proprietary lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platforms to help bring Aurora’s RNA-LNP vaccine candidate for the prevention of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to a Phase I clinical trial.

PNI’s technology includes an effective and safe (pre-clinical testing) self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) payload platform, delivered using proprietary lipid nanoparticle compositions, and supported by a scalable microfluidic manufacturing platform. The company has extensive expertise in developing RNA-LNPs to bring this vaccine all the way from early-stage development to scale-up manufacturing for clinical trials.

“PNI has the right combination of expertise and technology to help us advance our research and to potentially bring a safe and effective HCV vaccine to the world.” says Sir Michael Houghton, founder of Aurora Vaccines. “The emergence of RNA vaccine technology provides an accelerated development timeline which could deliver a vaccine as 2025.

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by the Hepatitis C virus.¹ According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 58 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and there are about 1.5 million new infections globally each year.² While antivirals are successful at treating HCV, there is no effective vaccine available for patients.³

“Accelerating the development of an HCV vaccine requires bringing together expertise from technology, disease, and vaccine development. Our collaboration is a primary example of what can be done when the leading minds come together to try and solve an unmet medical need,” said Dr. James Taylor, co-founder and general manager of PNI.

Nobel Laureate Sir Michael Houghton founded Aurora Vaccines with Professor Lorne Tyrrell in 2017 to develop the HCV vaccine candidate that is going to clinical trials. Sir Houghton also directs the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute at the University of Alberta.

¹ World Health Organization
² World Health Organization
³ World Health Organization

About Precision NanoSystems
Precision NanoSystems ULC is a global leader in technologies, solutions, and services for the development of lipid nanoparticle delivered genomic medicines, including mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. We support (bio)pharma companies that are ushering in the next wave of genomic medicines in infectious diseases, cancer, and rare diseases. We work with the world’s leading drug developers to understand disease and help create the therapeutics and vaccines that will define the future of medicine. Our mission is to accelerate the creation of transformative medicine that significantly impacts human well-being.

About Aurora Vaccines Inc
Aurora Vaccines Inc. is a spin out of the University of Alberta by Sir Michael Houghton, Nobel Laureate Medicine, Hon. DSc, PhD. Director & Professor, Li ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta & Professor Lorne Tyrrell OC, Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta.