Pharmaceutical research response

In the fight against the pandemic, Derby-based Bondholder N4 Pharma Plc is undertaking a Covid-19 proof of concept research project for Nuvec®, a novel delivery system for cancer treatments and vaccines.

The company has received delivery of an initial quantity of the Covid-19 plasmid DNA from the National Institute for Health in the USA and has appointed Evotec International Gmbh to undertake the proof of concept work for use with Covid-19 at its site in Toulouse, France.

Nigel Theobald, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The initial proof of concept data package for Nuvec® using Covid-19 is expected to last approximately six months and is a key priority for the Company to demonstrate the versatility and potential for our Nuvec® delivery system, and to license Nuvec® to partners looking to develop vaccines for this virus.”

He continued: “We are not doing this work to develop a vaccine for Coronavirus but rather to demonstrate to those working on these vaccines how Nuvec® may enhance subsequent vaccines they may be looking to develop for this Coronavirus or other viruses that may well surface in the future.”

The initial proof of concept work will commence during the first week of May once all required materials have been sourced by Evotec and will involve the following three stages:

• amplification of the plasmid DNA received from the NIH to provide sufficient plasmid DNA to undertake the in vitro and initial in vivo studies;

• demonstrating whether Nuvec® is capable of loading the Covid-19 plasmid and transfecting murine peripheral blood mononuclear (“PBMC”) cells in vitro, and induce an expression of the spike protein in target cells; and

• subject to positive results being achieved at stage 2, undertaking an initial pre in vivo study to demonstrate expression of the spike protein in target cells in a murine target.

Once the stage 3 results have been reviewed, the Company will then determine whether to do a further in vivo study to demonstrate the capability of Nuvec® to generate Covid-19 specific antibodies. In light of the current global urgency around treatments for Covid-19, the Company would also seek to collaborate, where it can, with appropriate partners to accelerate further studies at this juncture.

N4Pharma has registered as a participant in a Covid-19 Virtual Partnering event to foster connections and accelerate global collaboration to coordinate the industry’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Further details on the event are available at virtual-partnering.com.