Prokarium Acquires Emergent’s Oral Vaccine Technology

Prokarium Ltd. has acquired Emergent BioSolutions’ live Salmonella-based typhoid vaccine, Typhella, and its genetic technology spi-VEC. Prokarium will combine Typhella and spi-VEC with its genetic and formulation technologies to form Vaxonella, an oral vaccine delivery platform.
 
Emergent has conducted several Phase I and II trials that have shown Typhella to be safe and immunogenic as a typhoid vaccine. The combination with Prokarium’s plasmid stabilization technology, ORT-VAC, will enable the delivery of recombinant protein vaccines without needles or adjuvants. Prokarium plans to offer this Vaxonella platform to the biopharma community on a licensing basis.
 
Dr. Rocky Cranenburgh, Prokarium’s chief scientific officer, said, “I am delighted with the acquisition of this technology from Emergent; the combination of their Salmonella vector with Prokarium’s technologies allows us to develop an advanced oral delivery platform which gives Prokarium the potential to revolutionize vaccinations.”