The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has awarded USD $5m to clinical-stage biotech, Ethris.
The company will use this money to fund its spray-dried RNA vaccine development initiative.
By creating formulations that remain stable at room temperature, Ethris hope to cater its disease prevention solutions to all regions of the globe, where cold chain storage may not be possible.
Spray drying to increase vaccine stability
The spray drying process has been widely used to create stable powders within the oral and inhaled drug product (OINDP) sector, and can enhance the stability of a formulation significantly.
Therefore, Ethris want to apply this approach to RNA vaccines — reducing the need for ultra-low temperature storage and complex distribution procedures.
As the potential of RNA vaccines in preventing pandemics becomes clear, the industry must find ways to make these treatments more accessible for patients across the globe, where the infrastructure may not be suitable for the storage of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.
By creating a product suitable for nasal administration, Ethris also hopes to help patients achieve mucosal immunity — which could be the key to reducing viral transmission between individuals.
By simplifying the distribution of RNA vaccines via spray drying, Ethris hopes to prevent the widespread outbreak of diseases in the future.
Developing accessible technology
As well as refining the spray drying method for this indication, Ethris will use the funding to develop an automated RNA manufacturing process that allows for the scalable, rapid and cost-effective production of RNA vaccines.
By optimising the current processes available to the industry, the company aims to improve accessibility to RNA vaccines in low-resource settings, allowing lower-income countries to protect their populations.
The technology will be advanced with GMP standards in mind, ensuring vaccines are made safely, consistently and with high quality.
“Spray drying techniques and nasal delivery medicines are well-established; however, their application to RNA-based vaccines represents an innovative approach," noted Dr Raafat Fahim, Interim Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, CEPI.
"If successful, this method would enhance access to RNA-based vaccines by increasing their thermostability and offering an alternative for individuals with needle phobia. Additionally, it may elicit a more robust immune response and potentially reduce transmission. Collectively, this technology may improve our ability to contain future epidemic or pandemic threats, compared to current RNA vaccines.”
“Spray-drying for RNA-based vaccines could make them more practical and accessible similar to the established standards in respiratory medicine,” added Christian Plank, Chief Technology Officer at Ethris.
“With CEPI’s support, we aim to demonstrate the feasibility of spray-drying for RNA formulations, enabling vaccines to remain stable at room temperature while allowing for simpler, needle-free administration. If successful, this approach has the potential to transform vaccine delivery and accessibility on a global scale.”