Sanaria and Protein Potential Recognized for Efforts Against COVID-19 in BioBuzz

Sanaria and Protein Potential, which are co-located in Rockville, Maryland, are working on a number of initiatives to combat COVID-19. Dr. Stephen L. Hoffman is the CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at Sanaria, which is a leading global malaria vaccine biotechnology company. Dr. Kim Lee Sim is the President and Chief Scientific Officer at Protein Potential, an R&D group focused on vaccine development and innovative DNA and protein products. She is also the Executive Vice President of Process Development and Manufacturing at Sanaria.

Sanaria is a global organization with full R&D and robust translational science capabilities from early research through getting a product to cGMP manufacturing. Based on its innovative PfSPZ platform technology, the company has several malaria vaccine candidates in various stages of development and clinical evaluation. Sanaria’s lead malaria vaccine candidate is nearing Phase III trials.

Protein Potential produces intellectual property and recombinant bacteria, recombinant protein, and DNA products with a primary focus on the development of vaccines to protect against enteric diseases including shigellosis, diarrhea caused by ETEC, and typhoid fever and bioterrorism agents using its platform technology of recombinant, acid-stabilized Ty21a.

Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Sim are a dynamic husband and wife duo leading their respective teams as they pursue a range of COVID-19 initiatives in addition to advancing robust pipelines.

“We feel it’s our responsibility to do our part to fight COVID-19. We believe our experience working on SARS, malaria and other vaccines will be very helpful on multiple COVID-19 fronts,” stated Dr. Hoffman. “We have a unique perspective and approach — no one approach will be able to tackle the huge vaccination effort that’s coming. It will take contributions from many groups.”

Sanaria’s COVID-19 efforts began in earnest while working with its partners to establish the infrastructure needed to run its Phase I-III malaria vaccine trials in Equatorial Guinea. The consortium established for testing SanariaⓇ malaria vaccines found itself suddenly on the front lines of the country’s COVID-19 fight. After the COVID-19 sequence was released, the consortium developed the first PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) diagnostic test in Equatorial Guinea and Africa, ultimately leading to the first in-country diagnosis.

Sanaria and Protein Potential are planning the development and characterization of a COVID-19 antibody test in collaboration with the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Tübingen in Germany to identify individuals who have built up protective immunity to the novel coronavirus. The antibody test could potentially roll out in the next few months.

In addition, Sanaria and Protein Potential are in the early stages of developing their own COVID-19 vaccine and have been working with SAb Biotherapeutics, Inc. to develop strategies for testing the efficacy against COVID-19 of SAbⓇ human antibodies against SARS-Cov-2. The potential COVID-19 therapeutic is called SAb-185. Sab-185 uses genetically modified cattle with human DNA — called transgenic animals —  to produce human antibodies in large quantities that are then purified for use as a therapy for COVID-19 patients.     

The above was taken from the BioBuzz article, titled “COVID-19 Vaccine Progress from 8 BioHealth Capital Region Companies” published April 7th, 2020, which can be fully accessed here.

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