Research and Development
Novel vaccine methodology
Vaccines overview
During the 20th century, vaccines have significantly decreased the burden of human and veterinary disease occurrence throughout the world.
Veterinary vaccination is based principally on:
§ Administration of live attenuated pathogens
§ Injection of pathogen envelope proteins
Some species produce low levels of antibodies following vaccination with proteins or inactivated/dead pathogens. The method for overcoming this difficulty is to vaccinate with large amounts of antigens and/or to use adjuvant and immune modulators over a long period of time. Live attenuated pathogens have been found to be an efficient and economic vaccine. However, this technique poses certain environmental risks, thus it can be difficult to license and market throughout the world.
As an alternative, a DNA vaccine may circumvent many of the problems related to an attenuated live vaccine (e.g. inadvertent infection and reversion to the virulent strain). Moreover, it is possible to use this method for vaccination against more than one pathogen; i.e. creating a multivalent vaccine. At this moment in time this is a new technique which is licensed solely in the USA for a single product (West Nile virus vaccine for horses). The means of administering the vaccine is complicated; it is highly expensive and utilizes either a multiple injection procedure or a gene gun.
Achieving success in developing effective vaccine requires implementation of strict multiple research and clinical disciplines. In that respect, KoVax is working with numerous scientists with the finest academic credentials along with several clinical and industrial laboratories through a program which encompasses national and international collaborations
With strong emphasis on continued R&D, KoVax team aspire to develop a new generation of advanced novel vaccines to confront the shortcoming exhibited by other products currently in the market place. KoVax team has established R&D department that plans to reach this important milestone by combining the above-mentioned methods. The results would be a novel vaccine technology that exhibits the advantages and efficiency of both DNA vaccine and live attenuated pathogens vaccines which are as safe as the Injection of pathogen envelope proteins method.
The novel vaccination technology will succeed in being applied to immunization of many different species, utilizing a similar concept.
Furthermore, these sorts of vaccines can be applied as multivalent vaccine(s) that could be implemented relatively fast to combat new “emerging epidemics” such as poultry influenza disease (Stage I in the developing program)
Kovax R&D aspires to confront the Poultry influenza virus disease by vaccinating poultry with H5N1 virus antigens and related influenza antigens, thus creating vaccinated poultry that are incapable of transmitting the disease.
In the future we believe that this method can be applied to humans as well - creating a healthier population while administering fewer vaccines.
The following list itemizes some of the advantages of Kovax R&D’s proprietary invention:
High ROI ratio to capital investment -Penetrating 5% of the market will lead to more then $200M sales.
Large market opportunities – market size is estimated to be worth $3.2 B in 2004 with Potential growth of over $4 B in 2009
Since the vaccine is highly effective and very safe, the company believes that it may lead to overcome efficiency and regulation problems in western countries, crucial element for achieving swift market penetration.
Fast and efficient solution to new “emerging epidemics" such as poultry influenza
The company adheres to solid R&D research protocol & development methodology.
Straightforward focused product construction.
Product safety – without any risk of cross infection among species, safe for the applicant.
Kovax R&D inventions are backed by strong IP, with significant threshold milestones for potential competitors. Any new and/or breakthrough development(s) by the company will receive similar IP protection.
Kovax R&D products are cost efficient: each product may comprise of several combined vaccines.
- Cost efficient to produce: production of a single multivalent vaccine involves fewer production steps, fewer facilities, less manpower.
- Cost efficient to apply.
High efficiency: long lasting vaccine(s)
Known and commonly used production methods applied.
Product(s) would not require any special delivery methods
Known and conventional administrating methods.
User friendly – reduced stress and anxiety
The company has submitted a provisional patent application to the USPTO.
Market Potential
The veterinary vaccines sector accounts for appx. 14% of the world animal health and nutrition market. Global veterinary vaccine sales amount to $3.205 Billion in 2004 and have risen by 7% per year since 2000. This figure is estimate to exceed $4 Billion by 2009.
For additional information please contact
Mr. Yaniv Kotler
E-mail: Yaniv.kotler@kovax.co.il
Phone number: 972- 52-595-5554
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