News Release
Sorrento Reports Promising Results With mRNA Vaccine For COVID-19 Delivered With The MuVaxx Lymphatic Drug Delivery Device
- Sorrento’s mRNA vaccine (“STI-mRNA”) delivered with the MuVaxx™ Lymphatic Drug Delivery Device (“MuVaxx”), at 1/10th of the dose vs an LNP-mRNA reference standard1 (“LNP-mRNA”) delivered intramuscularly (“IM”), demonstrated in preclinical studies a 400% improvement in cellular immunity and similar humoral immunity (anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG and anti-S1 IgG antibodies).
Currently marketed vaccines have demonstrated reduced efficacy against the major SARS-CoV-2 emerging VOCs2, with declining efficacy over time3. Novel approaches are needed that improve durability for both humoral and cellular immunity against current and emerging variants.
The MuVaxx lymphatic drug delivery device is designed to deliver vaccine into the epidermis to potentially enable access and increased exposure to dendritic (antigen-presenting) cells in the skin and in lymph nodes at lower doses than with intramuscular administration. Initial preclinical results are summarized below, and complete results are accessible at: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.25.457699v1
- Intramuscular (IM) STI-mRNA (10µg) compared to the IM LNP-mRNA (10µg) showed a dramatic 400% improvement in cellular immunity as measured by cytokine production of spike specific CD8 T cells.
- This elevated level of cellular immune response was also observed at 1/10th of the STI-mRNA dose using the MuVaxx lymphatic drug delivery device.
- STI-mRNA (1/10th dose delivered with MuVaxx) also demonstrated similar humoral immunity (anti-RBD IgG and anti-S1 IgG antibodies) as compared to the IM LNP-mRNA reference (10µg) and IM STI-mRNA (10µg).
These preclinical findings are significant as cellular immunity is critical for impeding virus replication and conferring long-term protection. Additionally, current approved LNP-mRNA vaccines have been shown to potentially have dose-dependent side effects4. The STI-mRNA and MuVaxx combination appear to elicit a similar humoral response and an elevated cellular response against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, at a fraction of the current vaccine doses. These initial preclinical results provide the basis for Sorrento to move forward aggressively with IND-enabling studies with our MultiValent STI-mRNA vaccine candidate.
References
1. LNP mRNA Reference Standard – This reference standard used is a similar construct as to LNP mRNAs used in current EUA authorized vaccines.
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4. Jackson, et. al., “An mRNA Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2”,
About
Sorrento is a clinical and commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancer, pain (non-opioid treatments), autoimmune disease and COVID-19. Sorrento's multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies (“G-MAB™ library”), immuno-cellular therapies (“DAR-T™”), antibody-drug conjugates (“ADCs”), and oncolytic virus (“Seprehvec™”). Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including Abivertinib, COVIGUARD™, COVI-AMG™, COVISHIELD™, COVI-MSC™ and COVIDROPS™; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVITRACK™, COVISTIX™ and COVITRACE™.
Sorrento's commitment to life-enhancing therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management small molecule, resiniferatoxin (“RTX”), and SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (SEMDEXA™), a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, and to commercialize ZTlido® (lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. RTX has completed a Phase IB trial for intractable pain associated with cancer and a Phase 1B trial in osteoarthritis patients. SEMDEXA is in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica. ZTlido® was approved by the FDA on
For more information visit www.sorrentotherapeutics.com.
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Source: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.