In September 2023, Evaxion entered a discovery partnership with Afrigen Biologics and the recently created mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub. The hub was established by the World Health Organization and Medicines Patent Pool with the goal of achieving equitable access to mRNA vaccines for low and middle-income countries.
The partnership aims to design and test a prophylactic vaccine based on Evaxion’s EDEN™ identified Neisseria gonorrhea targets. The EDEN™-discovered antigens have demonstrated high levels of protection in preclinical studies. This partnership will explore the expression and biological activity of the antigens in the mRNA delivery platform developed at Afrigen. Following the validation phase, the partners will negotiate a subsequent agreement for clinical development and commercialization, with the opportunity to bring in additional partners. Afrigen has the rights to take the resulting vaccine into clinical development and commercialization in low- and middle-income countries. Evaxion retains all rights to develop the program in other parts of the world.