# An adjuvanted influenza vaccine platform for dose sparing, multiplexing, and rapid deployment

> **NIH NIH R41** · POP BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC · 2020 · $223,797

## Abstract

Abstract
Influenza is the cause of considerable morbidity and mortality globally. Certain groups, i.e., infants, pregnant
young women, and older adults are especially at risk for severe disease. Despite immunization being the most
effective and economical prophylactic approach, vaccines often provide less than optimal defense against an
influenza illness, with efficacies ranging from 10-60%. This inadequate vaccine efficacy is mainly due to the high
mutation rate (antigenic drift), or reassortment (antigenic shift) of the surface influenza molecule hemagglutinin
(HA) which is the primary target of influenza vaccines. As a result, circulating influenza strains may evade the
body’s protective antibodies induced by vaccination because the influenza’s targeted epitope may have mutated
and no longer be recognized by the antibodies. The vast majority of influenza vaccine doses made today are
produced in chicken eggs. This process takes 6-8 months which increases the probability of influenza mutation
and the associated decreased in efficacy of the vaccine. This STTR Phase 1 proposal involves the development
and characterization of a unique vaccine platform that has been developed by the company POP BIO. This
platform consists of fabricating lipid bilayer nanoliposomes with a cobalt-porphyrin moiety intercalated into the
bilayer (CoPoP) along with the synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A (PHAD®), a TLR4-based vaccine adjuvant.
This prep is then combined with his-tagged recombinant influenza HA. The his-tag stably inserts into the bilayer
by association with the cobalt producing nanoliposomes decorated with the immunogenic influenza antigen. The
CoPoP/PHAD can be mass produced and stockpiled and the production of the influenza HA antigens can be
performed rapidly using standard molecular biology techniques (avoiding the long duration of egg production).
At the time of vaccination, the recently produced HA antigens can be added on-site to the CoPoP/PHAD vial to
produce the vaccine dose. Shortening the time from HA antigen design to time of vaccination will reduce the
probability of virus mutation and thus be more effective. In addition, it has been shown that this platform allows
for the use of much less antigen in the vaccine (antigen sparing) and has the capacity for multiplexing with
numerous antigens from different influenza strains (expanding its breadth). This study will involve POP BIO
producing and characterizing the physical and chemical properties of the CoPoP/PHAD-influenza antigen
formulations. The University at Buffalo sub-contracting laboratory will then test them in mice to assess the level
of protection against challenge with mouse-adapted strains of influenza. The amount of antigen-sparing will be
determined in comparison with other influenza vaccine formulations. In addition, the ability of the
CoPoP/PHAD nanoliposomes to accommodate multiple different influenza antigens with associated protection
against influenza infection in mice will be a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9909457
- **Project number:** 1R41AI149954-01
- **Recipient organization:** POP BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC
- **Principal Investigator:** Bruce A. Davidson
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $223,797
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-10 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9909457

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9909457, An adjuvanted influenza vaccine platform for dose sparing, multiplexing, and rapid deployment (1R41AI149954-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9909457. Licensed CC0.

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