CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom and SINGAPORE, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cambridge's DIOSynVax and Singapore's ACM Biolabs will be jointly developing a next-generation universal bird flu vaccine with the potential for mucosal delivery to combat the next pandemic. This bilateral project is supported by Innovate UK1 and Enterprise Singapore2, as part of the UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D Call.
Bird flu poses a serious human health and pandemic threat. It is caused by the genetically changing Influenza A H5Nx virus, which is globally dispersed by numerous infected bird species. The virus has spread to mammals, including humans, where it has often caused severe and fatal disease in multiple countries worldwide. The two clinical-stage biotech companies will work together to advance a broadly protective, thermostable mRNA vaccine against H5Nx, while also exploring the potential for delivery via an intra-nasal spray.
Amid the global spread of bird flu and increasing pandemic threats, this project combines DIOSynVax's cutting-edge, AI-enabled computational vaccine design with ACM Biolabs' proprietary polymeric nanoparticle delivery platform. Together, they aim to deliver a vaccine that is not only broadly protective across all circulating H5 clades but also stable at 2-8°C and potentially suitable for needle-free mucosal administration.
The vaccine candidate builds on DIOSynVax's platform of AI-enabled antigen design, previously supported by the Gates Foundation and CEPI, and validated in vaccines targeting other pandemic-threat viruses. ACM Biolabs brings its clinical-stage "ATP” delivery platform, designed to enable temperature stability and potent mucosal immunogenicity. The collaboration combines the cutting-edge technology of both companies to develop a vaccine that is not only effective but also scalable for global distribution.
The project exemplifies how international collaboration can accelerate the development of broad-spectrum, scalable vaccine technologies for future outbreaks. It aligns with global pandemic preparedness goals, including rapid-response vaccine platforms and equitable access in future emergencies.
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Speaking at the World Vaccine Conference in Washington DC, Jonathan Heeney, CSO of DIOSynVax and Professor at the University of Cambridge, presented on AI and DIOSynVax's Next Generation vaccines. He commented:
"We are excited to receive this timely and visionary award to develop a broadly protective vaccine with the potential to contain, control, and prevent the next pandemic before it spreads internationally. Our DIOSynVax technology has generated vaccine antigen payloads that induce broad immune responses across various subtypes of influenza viruses, including all major clades of the H5 bird flu subtype, including those causing fatal infections. This funding, along with additional upcoming announcements, further validates the DIOSynVax platform, which encompasses viral changes that may reduce the efficacy of current bird flu vaccines.
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We look forward to collaborating with ACM Biolabs. Our joint technology platform combines powerful antigen design with state-of-the-art delivery systems with the potential for mucosal delivery, aiming to redefine a new generation of vaccines that are safer and stronger for today, smarter for tomorrow. We believe this is a critical step toward equitable, rapid, and scalable flu vaccines, as well as vaccines to prevent the next pandemic.”
Dr Madhavan Nallani, Chief Executive Officer of ACM Biolabs, added:
"We are very happy to collaborate with DIOSynVax to combine our technologies. A thermostable vaccine that is broadly effective against H5 influenzas would be a major step forward both in terms of our ability to address pandemics but also for mRNA vaccines more generally.”
About DIOSynVax
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DIOSynVax is a Cambridge University spinout and clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing universal vaccines using advanced artificial intelligence technologies. The company's mission is to provide broad protection against a wide range of infectious diseases, with a particular focus on emerging viral threats that have the potential to cause future pandemics.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Ron Moss, CEO
Email: [emailprotected]
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General Inquiries: [emailprotected]
Website: www.diosynvax.com
About ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd
ACM Biolabs is headquartered in Singapore, with subsidiaries in Basel, Switzerland, and Sydney, Australia. The company's highly effective and thermostable "ATP” nanoparticle delivery platform allows targeted delivery of a variety of cargoes. The safety of the ATP platform has been proven in both prophylactic infectious disease vaccine and oncology immunotherapy clinical trials.
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For more information, please contact:
Dr Peter Moran
Email: [emailprotected]
General Inquiries: [emailprotected]
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Website: www.acmbiolabs.com
1 Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is the UK's innovation agency.
2 Enterprise Singapore is the Singapore government agency championing enterprise development.
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