Beating
Herpes
Herpes
A new approach to creating a world-changing vaccine
Beating
Herpes
Herpes
A new approach to developing a world-changing vaccine
An end to
a global epidemic
There is no approved vaccine for herpes. More than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 around the world are infected with HSV-1, while over 400 million have HSV-2.1,2 Neonatal infection can be devastating, at 60% fatality without treatment.3 HSV-2 is also known to contribute significantly to the spread of HIV.4
Antiviral drug therapy shows only moderate efficacy and comes with significant side effects.5 Attempts to develop an effective vaccine have repeatedly failed.
X-VAX is here to offer hope for the future by developing a vaccine that can beat herpes.
X-VAX is here to beat herpes.
We’re a biotech company on a quest to defeat herpes by harnessing the power of antibodies that mediate the killing of infected cells.
Our research leads us to believe that the new approach we’re taking could succeed in beating herpes. We’re strongly committed to this fight, and our work has been supported with strong data in multiple pre-clinical models.
Our innovative approach came from a moment of brave imagination.
New hope, from
a new
approach.
a new
approach.
Time and again scientists may have been stimulating production of the wrong type of antibodies.
It was widely assumed that an effective herpes vaccine must stimulate the body to produce neutralizing antibodies. For decades, this assumption may have led researchers down the wrong path—trial after trial failed.
It was widely assumed that an effective herpes vaccine must stimulate the body to produce neutralizing antibodies. For decades, this assumption may have led researchers down the wrong path—trial after trial failed.
We are taking an approach that runs counter to most of the tactics used by other scientists.
Our research team had a moment of inspiration. They asked: What if we eliminate the immunodominant protein on the surface of the herpes virus that other scientists have focused on? They hypothesized that deleting a gene from the virus could stimulate the body to produce different—and more effective—antibodies.
Our research team had a moment of inspiration. They asked: What if we eliminate the immunodominant protein on the surface of the herpes virus that other scientists have focused on? They hypothesized that deleting a gene from the virus could stimulate the body to produce different—and more effective—antibodies.
We call our vaccine candidate ∆gD-2 (delta gD-2) because it is based on an HSV-2 virus genetically deleted for glycoprotein D (gD-2). With it, we have been able to prevent disease caused by herpes type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) in multiple preclinical models—with very impressive results.
To imagine what’s possible, you need the best minds out there.
We’re proud to say our team is made up of just those kinds of minds — inspired by imagination, driven by passion. Our company is led by a team of executives and directors with vast experience and a proven track record in drug and vaccine discovery, clinical development, commercial operations and business development.
Management
“Science is our canvas for imagining a world without herpes.”
“If you want to change something, you have to do something differently. Taking a new perspective is a good start.”
“Not knowing may well be a strength, not a weakness. It lets us be open to new ideas, different opinions, to solutions we may have otherwise not found”
Andreas Eggert – Chief Operating Officer“In our industry, imagination is the primary currency of value and success. It provides the inspiration for a healthier world.”
Donald “Kip” Wolf – Head of Technical Operations & Portfolio Management
Scientific Advisory Board
Florian Schödel, MD, PhD
Chief Scientific Advisor; previously Head of Vaccine Clinical Research Merck
William R. Jacobs, PhD
Professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Genetics, Albert Einstein College of medicine
Betsy C. Herold, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Roadmap
To realize our vision, we plan to gain commercial approval for the ∆gD-2 vaccine for the prevention of HSV type 1 and type 2. In addition, the potential for therapeutic application of the vaccine is under investigation. As a first step we plan to assess safety and the ADCC hypothesis for our candidate vaccine ∆gD-2 in a Phase 1 clinical trial.
