The preclinical programmes of AFFiRiS’ two vaccine candidates, generated by its AFFITOME technology, have been completed successfully.
Meanwhile, its lead vaccine candidate AD02 is currently in phase II clinical testing, and based on the promising preliminary results of this programme, GSK decided to exercise its option for the alternative vaccine candidates.
This triggered a $3.45m payment to AFFiRiS, with an additional $1.38m payment due for the successful completion of tests of alternative vaccine formulations.
AFFiRiS co-founder and CEO Walter Schmidt said the programme extension with GSK has opened the pathway to alternative vaccine candidates such as AD03.
All the three AFFiRiS Alzheimer’s vaccine candidates induce antibodies which target the beta-amyloid peptide believed to contribute to the pathology of the disease.
The modified beta-amyloid peptides are targeted with their putatively different toxicity profiles in humans through AD03.
The US based Michael Fox Foundation has recently awarded the company’s preclinical program for the development of a Parkinson vaccine with funding.