RE: FT17 Feb 2021 11:01
COVID-19 vaccine candidate selected
Fri, 18th Dec 2020 07:00
RNS Number : 0847J
Scancell Holdings Plc
18 December 2020
18 December 2020
Scancell Holdings plc
("Scancell" or the "Company")
Scancell announces selection of COVID-19 vaccine candidate, SN14
SN14 offers several potential advantages over currently approved and late-stage COVID-19 vaccines
Scancell Holdings plc, (AIM:SCLP), the developer of novel immunotherapies is pleased to announce that they have selected their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, SN14, for further development and clinical trials. SN14 targets both the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein and the key receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein, and is based on a modification of Scancell's ImmunoBody® DNA vaccine technology.
Fifteen vaccine candidates containing different S and N components combined with a variety of targeting technologies were evaluated for the best T cell and antibody responses. SN14 reproducibly elicited high-titre anti-S virus neutralising antibodies (VNAbs) together with high avidity T cells against both the S and N proteins. SN14 also incorporates Scancell's AvidiMab™ technology to further enhance this immune response demonstrating the broad potential of this platform technology to generate improved vaccines for both infectious diseases and cancer.
SN14 is a second generation vaccine which offers several potential advantages over currently approved and late-stage COVID-19 vaccines:
· Not only does SN14 target the S protein to induce VNAbs that prevent the COVID-19 virus from entering cells but also induces strong T cell responses to both the S and N proteins to destroy virally-infected cells and prevent further viral replication.
· As the N protein is well-conserved between coronaviruses, the SN14 vaccine has the potential to be effective against any variant or new strain of coronavirus in addition to the current COVID-19 strain.
· Use of the AvidiMab™ technology increases the potency of the T cell response which, in turn, should lead to long-term protection and immunological memory.
· DNA vaccines are exceptionally stable, do not require ultra-low temperature storage and are manufactured using relatively simple processe