# An epitope-focused nanoparticle vaccine for anthrax

> **NIH NIH R44** · VLP BIOTECH, INC. · 2020 · $998,145

## Abstract

Abstract
We have successfully developed a highly immunogenic, optimized and lyophilizable epitope-focused, bivalent
anthrax vaccine, referred to as LND-LF-VLP, using our novel proprietary platform technology which
incorporates the vaccine target sequence into highly immunogenic virus like particles. This new vaccine targets
two distinct neutralizing determinants, which are not targeted by Biothrax, the currently approved vaccine for
anthrax. When formulated with human use adjuvants, this new vaccine has potential to elicit very rapid
protective immunity with only one or two injections. Our proposal will focus on two overarching aims: 1) to
demonstrate the efficacy of two immunizations with the LND-LF-VLP in human use adjuvants for protection of
rabbits from high dose aerosol spore challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames strain and 2) to optimize and
develop standard operating procedures for the expression, purification and quality assurance of the LND-LF-
VLP vaccine in a manner enabling eventual scale-up production by a contract manufacturing organization. This
new epitope-focused, VLP vaccine promises to be a highly stable, safe and strategic new vaccine for anthrax.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10145944
- **Project number:** 4R44AI142939-02
- **Recipient organization:** VLP BIOTECH, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** David C Whitacre
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $998,145
- **Award type:** 4N
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10145944

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10145944, An epitope-focused nanoparticle vaccine for anthrax (4R44AI142939-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10145944. Licensed CC0.

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