News & Press Releases
Dr. Christian Brander joins Advisory Board
November 2022 – Virometix is very pleased to announce that Christian Brander joined our Scientific Advisory Board. Christian works at the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute in Spain and holds Assistant Professor positions at UVic-UCC and UAB Barcelona. He is an expert in cellular immunity and the development of T-cell-based vaccines.
Dr. Michael Babokhov joins our team at LabCentral
24 October 2022 – We are happy to bring onboard Dr. Michael Babokhov as a senior research scientist at our LabCentral site in Cambridge Massachusetts. Mike brings in cancer vaccine experience working in the Kendall Square startup environment to help expand Virometix’ platform to the oncology space.
S. pneumoniae vaccine program PoC achieved
August 2022 – Virometix has obtained positive preclinical data with its serotype-independent, peptide-based vaccine candidate against S. pneumoniae, delivered by our synthetic nanoparticles. Our results with in vivo models of pneumococcal infection and disease, and in vitro functional assays, pave the way for the development of a novel vaccine that could address the limitations of current conjugate vaccines. With these results Virometix has achieved one of its main scientific goals in 2022.
European & International Peptide Symposium 2022
28 August 2022 – Virometix attended the 36th European Peptide Symposium (EPS) and the 12th International peptide Symposium (IPS) in Barcelona, Sitges (28 August – 02 September 2022; https://www.eps2022.com/ ). With presentations on our T-cell epitope SARS-CoV-2 variants vaccine candidates and our pneumococcal serotype-independent vaccine, we attracted a lot of scientific interest and gained valuable new chemistry knowledge.
Peptide Therapeutics Forum 2022
25 August 2022 – Virometix participated in the Peptide Therapeutics Forum 2022 in Basel (25-26 August 2022; https://ptf22.scg.ch/ ). The meeting provided us with knowledge on the discovery of therapeutic peptides and networking with important stakeholders in the field.
Virometix strengthens its team
July 2022 – We are happy to announce the appointment of Dr. Markus Heck as Head of Technical Operations. Markus has a long-standing experience in fields of CMC and technical operations with a strong focus on current trends in industry and evolving technologies. Markus will be part of the Management team of Virometix.
Virometix is also happy to bring Vasiliki Daikopoulou as a Research Scientist onboard. Vasiliki will reinforce our team of chemists to carry out their research tasks.
RSV PhI clinical trial successfully completed
June 2022 – V-306, our vaccine candidate against RSV was tested in a Phase I safety and immunogenicity study (NCT04519073). V-306 appeared to be a safe and well-tolerated vaccine, without a clear dose-effect relationship in terms of reactogenicity and safety. The limiting tolerated dose was not reached and no SAEs were observed. The medium [50 µg] and high V-306 doses [150 µg] induced a clinically and statistically significant increase in epitope-specific IgG responses, 28 days after injection. GMCs remained high until month 6, demonstrating persistence of the observed immune response.
International Oligonucleotides and Peptides Conference
27 June 2022 – Virometix participated with two oral presentations in the International Oligonucleotides and Peptides Conference IOPC in Milan (27-29 June 2022; https://www.iopc-tks.com/ ). Our work on Synthetic Virus-Like Particles and protein epitope mimetics in vaccine design was received with great enthusiasm from the other participants.
International Symposium on Pneumococcal Diseases 2022
19 June 2022 – Virometix participated in the 12th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD-12) in Toronto (19-23 June 2022; https://isppd.kenes.com/ ). With a presentation on our peptide-based S. pneumoniae serotype-independent vaccine, we attracted the interest of several key opinion leaders in the field.
Bob van Gemen joins Board of Directors
May 2022 – At the recent Annual General Meeting, Bob van Gemen was elected as a new Board Member to the Board of Directors. Bob is a Molecular Biologist and experienced CEO with a track record of success in the CRO industry. He brings hands-on operational experience of virology vaccine R&D as well as business development capabilities to the Board
Prof. Fernando Albericio joins Advisory Board
April 2022 – Virometix is delighted to announce Prof. Fernando Albericio as a new member in our Scientific Advisory Board. Fernando is Full Professor at the University of Barcelona, Research Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Visiting Professor at the King Saud University. He is an expert in peptide synthesis and small molecules with therapeutic activities for the field of cancer and infectious diseases. Fernando is an innovator in green solid-phase peptide synthesis and peptide coupling reactions.
Collaboration with the University Children’s Hospital in Athens
January 2022 – Virometix continues its collaboration with Agia Sofia Children’s Hospital in Athens, Greece, for the development of a serotype-independent pneumococcal vaccine. The proximity to a place where children are being treated against devastating respiratory and invasive diseases is bringing valuable information to us. We aspire to quickly advance our Streptococcus pneumoniae program for a serotype-independent, peptide-based vaccine.
Virometix Announces Publication of Key Non-Clinical Proof-of-Concept Data in Two High Quality Peer-Reviewed Journals
14 July 2021 – Virometix announces publication of key non-clinical proof-of-concept data on its lead vaccine candidate V-306 in two high quality peer-reviewed journals. The data confirm the potential of V-306 for prophylaxis against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection, possibly using a convenient needle-free method of vaccination. Despite the substantial health and economic burden caused by RSV-associated illness, no vaccine is available.
> For more information, please download PDF release
Virometix Broadens Senior Leadership Team with Three Key Appointments
07 January 2021 – Virometix filled a vacancy in its management team with the appointment of Dr. Lilli Stergiou to the position of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Lilli has 20 years of research and development experience in multiple fields including all areas of interest to Virometix – vaccines, infectious diseases, and oncology.
Moreover, Susanne Schultz-Hector, PD Dr. Med and Jan ter Meulen, MD, Dr. habil., DTM&H were elected to the Board of Directors of Virometix in November 2020.
> For more information, please download PDF release
Virometix Announces Completion of Initial Vaccination of the First Dose Cohort in Phase 1 Study with V-306
17 September 2020 – Virometix announced today the completion of initial vaccination of the first dose cohort in the Phase 1 healthy volunteer study of V-306, its candidate vaccine for prophylaxis of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) infection in neonates.
> For more information, please download PDF release
Virometix Announces Successful Closing of Series B Investment Round raising CHF 7.5 million
Axel Polack and Anna Sumeray elected Members of the Board of Directors
16 July 2020 – Virometix, a privately held Swiss biotechnology company developing a new generation of vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for the prevention and treatment of infectious and oncology diseases, announced today that it has successfully completed a CHF 7.5 million Series B equity financing round.
> For more information, please download PDF release
Anergis and Virometix Announce Research Collaboration to Use Synthetic Virus-Like Particles for Ultra-Fast Allergy Immunotherapy
Study is performed at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and supported by a TRANSVAC2 grant
09 July 2020 – Anergis SA, a company developing Contiguous Overlapping Peptides (COPs) for ultra-fast allergy immunotherapy, and Virometix AG, a company developing a new generation of vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs, announced today that they have entered into a research collaboration. The study will be conducted at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI, Braunschweig, Germany) as part of TRANSVAC2, the European Network of Vaccine Research and Development funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program.
> For more information please download PDF release
Virometix announces initiation of Phase 1 clinical trial with its V-306 vaccine candidate
12 March 2020 – Virometix, a privately held Swiss biotechnology company developing a new generation of vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for the prevention and treatment of infectious and oncology diseases, is pleased to announce that the Belgian health authority, FAMHP, has approved the company’s clinical trial application for the first-in-human phase 1 study of its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate, V-306 in healthy volunteers. Funding has been secured and activities are underway to initiate the trial in the coming weeks.
> For more information please download PDF release
Virometix today announced the appointment of Anna Sumeray as Chief Executive Officer
01 February 2019 – Virometix, a privately held biotechnology company developing a new generation of vaccines and immunotherapeutic drugs for the prevention and treatment of infectious and oncology diseases, today announced the appointment of Anna Sumeray as Chief Executive Officer. She succeeds Arin Ghasparian, who will remain member of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors wishes to thank Mr Ghasparian for his valuable contribution to the development of the Company, as Chief Executive Officer during the last six years. Anna Sumeray brings more than 25 years of business leadership in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Ms. Sumeray currently serves as Managing Partner of Alacrita, a global life science consulting firm where she is responsible for the European operations and Commercial Practice.
Events
BIO International Convention
Boston, 03-08 June 2023
Publications
Epicutaneous immunization using synthetic virus-like particles efficiently boosts protective immunity to respiratory syncytial virus
Pierre-Louis Hervé, Véronique Dhelft, Armando Zuniga, Arin Ghasparian, Oliver Rassek, Kevin C. Yim, Nathalie Donne, Paul-Henri Lambert, Pierre-Henri Benhamou, Hugh A. Sampson, Lucie Mondoulet
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.03.081
An epitope-specific chemically defined nanoparticle vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus
Armando Zuniga, Oliver Rassek, Melissa Vrohlings, Aniebrys Marrero-Nodarse, Kerstin Moehle, John A. Robinson, Arin Ghasparian
npj Vaccines (2021) 6:85 ; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-021-00347-y
Synthetic virus-like particles from self-assembling coiled-coil lipopeptides and their use in antigen display to the immune system.
Boato F, Thomas RM, Ghasparian A, Freund-Renard A, Moehle K, Robinson JA.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007;46(47):9015-8. doi: 10.1002/anie.200702805. PMID: 17935102 No abstract available.
Synthetic virus-like particles and conformationally constrained peptidomimetics in vaccine design.
Riedel T, Ghasparian A, Moehle K, Rusert P, Trkola A, Robinson JA
Chembiochem. 2011 Dec 16;12(18):2829-36. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201100586. Epub 2011 Nov 11. PMID: 22076829
Max Bergmann lecture protein epitope mimetics in the age of structural vaccinology.
Robinson JA
J Pept Sci. 2013 Mar;19(3):127-40. doi: 10.1002/psc.2482. Epub 2013 Jan 24. PMID: 23349031 Free PMC article. Review.
Engineered synthetic virus-like particles and their use in vaccine delivery.
Ghasparian A, Riedel T, Koomullil J, Moehle K, Gorba C, Svergun DI, Perriman AW, Mann S, Tamborrini M, Pluschke G, Robinson JA.
Chembiochem. 2011 Jan 3;12(1):100-9. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201000536. PMID: 21132689
Dendritic Cell Sensing of Hydrophobic Di- and Triacylated Lipopeptides Self-Assembled within Synthetic Virus-like Particles. R. Sharma et al. J Immunol. 2017 Jul 15;199(2):734-749.
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A synthetic virus-like particle streptococcal vaccine candidate using B-cell epitopes from the proline-rich region of pneumococcal surface protein A. Tamborrini M. et al. Vaccines (Basel) 2015 Oct 16, 3, 850-874.
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Ghasparian, A. and Robinson J.A. 2015, Synthetic Virus-like Particles in Vaccine Design. In Khudyakov Y. and Pumpens P. (Eds.), Viral Nanotechnology, p. 487–498 New York, CRC Press Book.
Functionalization of protein-based nanocages for drug delivery applications. Schoonen L et al. Nanoscale. 2014 Jul 7;6(13):7124-41.
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Vaccines based on structure-based design provide protection against infectious diseases. Thomas S, Luxon BA. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2013 Nov;12(11):1301-11.
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Applications of nanotechnology for immunology. Smith DM et al. Nat Rev Immunol. 2013 Aug;13(8):592-605.
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Max Bergmann lecture protein epitope mimetics in the age of structural vaccinology. Robinson JA, J Pept Sci. 2013 Mar;19(3):127-40.
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Virus-like particles as a highly efficient vaccine platform: diversity of targets and production systems and advances in clinical development. Kushnir N et al. Vaccine. 2012 Dec 17;31(1):58-83.
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Synthetic virus-like particles target dendritic cell lipid rafts for rapid endocytosis primarily but not exclusively by macropinocytosis. Sharma R et al. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43248.
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Synthetic virus-like particles and conformationally constrained peptidomimetics in vaccine design. Riedel T et al. Chembiochem. 2011 Dec 16;12(18):2829-36.
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Materials from peptide assembly: towards the treatment of cancer and transmittable disease. Branco MC et al. Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2011 Jun; 15(3): 427-34.
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Peptide-based subunit nanovaccines. Skwarczynski M, Toth I. Curr Drug Deliv. 2011 May; 8(3): 282-9.
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Engineered synthetic virus-like particles and their use in vaccine delivery. Ghasparian A et al. Chembiochem. 2011 Jan 3; 12(1): 100-9.
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Synthetic viruslike particles and hybrid constructs based on lipopeptide self-assembly. Perriman AW et al. Small. 2010 Jun 6;6(11):1191-6.
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Synthetic virus-like particles from self-assembling coiled-coil lipopeptides and their use in antigen display to the immune system. Boato F, Thomas RM, Ghasparian A, Freund-Renard A, Moehle K, Robinson JA. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl.2007;46(47):9015-8.
> PubMed