CEPI, VBI Vaccines Collaborate To Develop COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates Against Variants

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and VBI Vaccines Inc (NASDAQ: VBIV) entered into a partnership for the development of VBI's enveloped virus-like particle (eVLP) vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the South African B.1.351 variant, also known as 501Y.V2.

• CEPI is an international coalition set up to prepare for future infectious disease threats.
• It will provide up to $33 million to support the advancement of VBI-2905, a monovalent eVLP candidate, through Phase 1 development. Phase 1 trial will start in mid-year 2021.
• As part of the agreement, this funding will also support the preclinical expansion of additional multivalent vaccine candidates. 
• VBI Vaccines is advancing a suite of coronavirus vaccine candidates under the VBI-2900 program, developed in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada.
• An adaptive Phase 1/2 study of VBI-2902 is already ongoing at nine clinical sites in Canada.
• Price Action: VBIV shares are up 10.2% at $3.47 in premarket trading on the last check Wednesday.