The Jenner Institute Laboratories

Agreement to support development of a vaccine against EBV OXFORD, England & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SpyBiotech, a biotechnology company with novel vaccine platform technologies that can target infectious diseases, cancer, and chronic diseases, today announced a sponsored research agreement with The University of Oxford for the development of a vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is a commonly spread virus that can lead to several serious health conditions including infectious mononucleosis and is linked to various cancers and multiple sclerosis. This research project will combine Oxford’s groundbreaking academic research capabilities with SpyBiotech’s proprietary SPYVLP platform technology in order to advance three vaccine candidates targeting EBV and test these in a Phase I clinical trial. “This research collaboration is an important step forward on a commonly spread virus with no currently available vaccines or therapeutics for its prevention or spread,” said Mark Leuchtenberger, Chief Executive Officer of SpyBiotech. “Studies have found that EBV triggers a range of very serious health conditions including certain cancers and multiple sclerosis. A recent study led by Stanford Medicine and senior author Dr. William Robinsoni notes that 99% of MS patients have EBV antibodies in their blood, indicating prior infection. We see a great need for a vaccine against EBV.” SpyBiotech’s novel SPYVLP vaccine platform is based on a proprietary protein “superglue” technology which binds antigens to vaccine delivery platforms in a way which minimizes delivery risk and enhances immunogenicity and efficacy. Under the terms of this agreement, SpyBiotech will provide Oxford researchers with access to the SPYVLP vaccine platform, and the Oxford team will work to advance the research into a Phase 1 clinical trial to be conducted through the University. “We are very keen to progress these vaccine candidates that target multiple EBV antigens to Phase I clinical trials with Professor Sandy Douglas and his team at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford after seeing the promising pre-clinical data generated,” said Sumi Biswas, Ph.D., President and CSO of SpyBiotech. The company is currently conducting a Phase I trial assessing safety and immunogenicity of its HCMV vaccine. The study features a six-month dosing schedule and is being carried out in the UK. About Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBV is transmitted through saliva and is one of the most commonly spread human virusesii. Most people recover within a few weeks, but for some individuals EBV can lead to a number of health conditions including mononucleosis, meningitis, encephalitis and certain cancersiii. Recent research suggests people with multiple sclerosis and some lymphomas are more likely to have been infected with the virus. There are no currently available vaccines or therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of EBV. About SpyBiotech SpyBiotech is a clinical stage biotechnology company with novel vaccine platform technologies to target infectious diseases, cancer and chronic diseases. The company was spun out of the University of Oxford in 2017 by Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE) and Google Ventures (GV). The company raised $32.5 million in a Series A equity financing in 2021. Based on science developed at the University of Oxford, SpyBiotech’s novel vaccine platform is based on a proprietary protein “superglue” technology which binds antigens to vaccine delivery platforms in a way which minimizes delivery risk and enhances immunogenicity and efficacy. This makes it ideal for use against infectious diseases in challenging environments, such as in the developing world, but also with potential application in non-infectious disease settings such as cancer. SpyBiotech has the exclusive rights from the University of Oxford to apply, commercialize and sub-license the SpyTag/SpyCatcher and related “superglue” technologies in vaccine development. i Stanford Medicine. (2022, January 24). Study identifies how Epstein-Barr virus triggers multiple sclerosis. ii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 28). About Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. iii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020b, September 28). Epstein-Barr and mononucleosis: For Healthcare Providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. View source version on businesswire.com: Contacts US Media: Karen Sharma ksharma@macdougall.bio +1 781-235-3060 UK Media: Sarah MacLeod, Adam Michael, Molly Ring Powerscourt Group spybiotech@powerscourt-group.com +44 (0)20 7250 1446 Source: SpyBiotech View this news release online at:

- New investors MSD Global Health Innovation Fund and IQ Capital co-led Series A with existing investors participating - AI-based design algorithm shortens the time it takes to develop stronger cross-protective vaccine candidates LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Baseimmune, a biotech company that uses proprietary, deep learning AI to predict future pathogen mutations to generate novel vaccines, announced the close of $11.3 million [£9 million] in Series A funding led by new investors MSD Global Health Innovation Fund and IQ Capital, with participation from existing investors including Hoxton Ventures, Creator Fund, Beast Ventures and Maki.vc. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: From left to right: Baseimmune co-founders Ariane C. Gomes (Chief Scientific Officer), Phillip Kemlo (Chief Technology Officer), and Joshua Blight (Chief Executive Officer). Photo credit: Baseimmune “We’re thrilled to have the support of a top-tier investor syndicate led by MSD Global Health Innovation Fund and IQ Capital. This funding will enable us to accelerate the development of our technology, scale our programs, and expedite the delivery of impactful vaccines against future pathogens,” said Joshua Blight, CEO & Co-Founder, Baseimmune. “We are more excited than ever about the possibilities and remain focused in our commitment to disrupting the future of pandemic readiness.” The funding will enable Baseimmune to accelerate development of its three vaccine candidates currently in preclinical development for African swine fever, coronavirus, and malaria. The company will also use the new capital to further advance its technology, expand its team, increase the number of programs in development and accelerate new vaccine programs. Baseimmune was founded in 2019 by Joshua Blight and Ariane Gomes, who met while doing their PhDs at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, and software engineer Phillip Kemlo who built the antigen design platform. Baseimmune’s vaccine design algorithm crunches genomic, epidemiological, immunological, clinical and evolutionary data together to create entirely new synthetic antigenic proteins containing the parts of the pathogen that are most likely to evoke a strong protective immune response. The technology is based on a computational platform deciphering pathogen evolution to design cross-protective vaccines. By using big data and a design algorithm, Baseimmune has been able to shorten the time it takes to develop a vaccine candidate. The antigen designs can be fed into any vaccine technology platform, including mRNA, DNA and viral vectors, to create universal “future-proof” vaccines engineered to be effective against current and potentially emerging variants. “We believe Baseimmune’s technology marks a significant advancement in proactive, adaptable vaccine solutions,” said David M. Rubin, Managing Director, MSD Global Health Innovation Fund. “We are excited to support this forward-looking team." At the core of every vaccine lies the antigen, a key pathogen-derived component. Baseimmune's proprietary AI algorithm goes beyond conventional approaches, creating synthetic antigens that encompass all crucial elements of a pathogen, enhancing the likelihood of eliciting a robust immune response. This revolutionary antigen design can seamlessly integrate into any vaccine technology platform for efficient lab testing and streamlined clinical trials. "We are excited to announce our strategic investment in Baseimmune, a cutting-edge biotech leveraging AI to innovate vaccine therapies,” said Alex Wilson, Partner, IQ Capital. “By using a computational platform and innovative AI prediction algorithm, Baseimmune is pioneering the next generation of universal vaccines against a spectrum of human and animal health threats, from COVID to malaria and African Swine Fever.” About Baseimmune Founded in 2019 by a technical team of vaccine and software developers, Baseimmune is accelerating discovery of novel and cross-protective vaccines. Our founders pioneered the use of computational approaches to design cross-protective vaccines against various infectious diseases while at the Jenner Institute University of Oxford with two candidates in clinical trials. For more information visit .

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a new vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, for the prevention of malaria in children. R21, developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India, is now the second malaria vaccine to be recommended by the organisation following its approval of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine in 2021. Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, places a particularly high burden on children in the African Region, where nearly half a million children die from the disease each year. Despite “unprecedented” demand, WHO outlined that the available supply of RTS,S is limited and expects the addition of R21 to result in sufficient vaccine supply for children in areas where malaria is a public health risk. The recommendation, which follows advice from the organisation's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG), was based on pre-clinical and clinical trial data demonstrating good safety and high efficacy in four countries at sites with both seasonal and perennial malaria transmission. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said: “As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two. “Demand for the RTS,S vaccine far exceeds supply, so this second vaccine is a vital additional tool to protect more children faster, and to bring us closer to our vision of a malaria-free future.” R21/Matrix-M, which uses an adjuvant developed by Novavax to boost the immune response, will become available by mid-2024 and doses of the vaccine are expected to cost between $2 and $4. At least 28 countries in Africa plan to introduce a WHO-recommended malaria vaccine as part of their national immunisation programmes. Professor Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, Lakshmi Mittal and family professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford said: “The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has been shown to be safe and highly effective across multiple clinical studies and is now approved as WHO policy for widespread use. “The vaccine is easily deployable, cost effective and affordable, ready for distribution in areas where it is needed most, with the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives a year.”