eXmoor pharma and vaccine developer Imophoron sign process development partnership

Multi-phase partnership will aim to manufacture vaccines for clinical use in eXmoor’s new facility to be launched in Q3, 2023

Bristol, UK, February 22, 2023 – eXmoor pharma, the cell and gene therapy partner specializing in accelerating the manufacturing journey from research to patients and Imophoron, the developer of a novel, next generation thermostable vaccine platform, ADDomer(TM), to combat present and future infectious diseases, today announce the signature of a strategic process development partnership that includes a future GMP manufacturing route.

Under the agreement, eXmoor will firstly develop a scalable and commercializable manufacturing platform for Imophoron’s vaccine technology. This platform will be optimized initially for Imophoron’s lead candidate vaccine, targeting Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).  The next phase of the project will involve a technology transfer of the process toward GMP manufacturing in eXmoor’s new Cell and Gene Therapy Centre in Bristol, UK. This material is designated for use in Imophoron’s planned first-in-man Phase I clinical trial. Production is expected to commence following the completion of the process development activities. Imophoron will be one of the first organizations to benefit from eXmoor’s new UK-based GMP manufacturing capability.

Imophoron selected eXmoor pharma as a manufacturing partner due to eXmoor’s nineteen years of experience consulting with process development and manufacturing strategies as well as eXmoor’s extensive achievements of working with a wide range of novel manufacturing processes. Specifically, Imophoron wanted a partner with engineering expertise that can rapidly complete process development and optimization projects. This engineering and process development activity will enable Imophoron to enter the clinic more quickly. By having eXmoor complete these activities, this will enable Imophoron’s scientific teams to concentrate on their main specialization of novel vaccine development. 

Imophoron is developing its ADDomer platform to rapidly generate vaccine candidates targeting a range of different diseases that can be administered by a variety of routes, including intranasal and intramuscular. Imophoron has devised a cost effective and simple manufacturing strategy and has demonstrated the thermostability of its vaccine candidates, hence removing the requirement for the sub-temperature storage of alternative vaccine technologies, including those that are mRNA based. Imophoron’s vaccine candidates will potentially, therefore, allow global distribution with no cold chain whatsoever. Imophoron’slead target is RSV, a devastating disease affecting children and the elderly. There is no currently approved vaccine for RSV. 

“The COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated how devastating pandemics can be to healthcare, the global economy and wider societies. It is vital that emerging technologies are able to rapidly deliver cost effective vaccines that can be distributed internationally. Imophoron is developing a thermostable vaccine platform that has the potential to combat both present infectious diseases and future potential outbreaks,” said Richard Bungay, Chief Executive Officer, Imophoron. “It is an important milestone for Imophoron to partner with eXmoor pharma and utilize its expertise to deliver a robust production process and a route to manufacturing for future clinical development.”

“eXmoor pharma’s team will be transferring to our new Cell and Gene Therapy Centre in July 2023 and our GMP manufacturing facilities will be on line to meet Imophoron’s timeline. Working with Imophoron as one of the first companies in our GMP suites will be another milestone for eXmoor,” said Angela Osborne, CEO, eXmoor pharma. ”Playing a role in developing dynamic vaccines that could play a major part in the elimination of a number of diseases and pandemics is exactly why eXmoor pharma was set up. Our expertise in process development, and translating this into our own manufacturing, will play an essential part in bringing these vaccines and therapies to patients.”