Exevir Bio awarded €1.6M grant for Dengue research
The grant will enable pre-clinical research towards prophylactic and therapeutic solutions for dengue
June 28, 2023
VIB spin-off company ExeVir Bio today announced it has been awarded a two-year R&D grant of €1.6 million by Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) for pre-clinical research towards prophylactic and therapeutic solutions for dengue.
According to the WHO, dengue is one of the most important vector-borne viral diseases globally that is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans [1]. It is mainly spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and, to a lesser extent, Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. In 2019, Dengue was listed by the WHO as a top ten global health threat [2]. It is caused by any of four dengue virus serotypes, each of which can cause dengue fever, and, in some cases, it can lead to deadly complications such as dengue hemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades, fueled by climate change and urbanization leading to recent transmission in parts of mainland US and Europe. Dengue is a leading cause of fever in travelers returning to the US and Europe from endemic countries, and the incidence of dengue among travelers is generally underestimated [3][4].
The medical need remains very high as there are no specific antiviral therapeutics available for the disease, limiting the treatment options to relieving symptoms and preventing complications. While the current vaccines are a big step forward in protecting people, they are not 100% effective and cannot be used for all.
ExeVir is leveraging its unique, modular llama-derived antibody (VHH) technology platform to generate multi-specific antibodies for prophylaxis and treatment against infectious diseases, such as dengue. ExeVir’s technology will enable cross-reactivity against all four serotypes, have a dual mode of action, and be prophylactic and therapeutic with a sufficiently long treatment window.
Dr. Torsten Mummenbrauer, CEO of ExeVir: “We’re delighted with this support from the Flemish Government as it will help us with our research into using our powerful VHH technology to combat global health threats from infectious diseases beyond COVID-19.”
Alongside this dengue R&D project, ExeVir remains committed to its pioneering work in developing COVID-19 solutions for the millions of immunocompromised people who remain at high risk of severe morbidity or death from COVID-19 as they do not generate the same level of antibodies as immunocompetent people and could benefit from new multi-specific antibodies.
References
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue
[2] https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6906a1.htm
[4] https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.2.2001937
