Under the deal, PATH will provide funding to support product development, preclinical testing and manufacturing, with the goal to qualify and select a final development candidate to advance towards clinical testing.
The new vaccine was developed using Affinivax’s Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPS) technology, which offers the potential to protect children and adults against a broader range of pneumococcal strains and invasive disease.
The technology also helps in reducing the amount and duration of nasopharyngeal colonization (carriage) and disease transmission.
MAPS represents a new generation approach in vaccine technologies as it combines protective polysaccharides and proteins in a single vaccine to induce a robust B and T cell immune response against both disease and carriage.
PATH director of pneumococcal vaccine project Dr Mark Alderson said: "Affinivax’s MAPS technology offers the potential to increase breadth of protection with a cost-effective approach, which could enable children to have access to life-saving vaccines against pneumococcus.
"This collaboration with Affinivax exemplifies PATH’s dedication to working with scientists and companies to advance vaccines that can prevent the spread of pneumonia and other pneumococcal diseases among children in the developing world."