Anivive Lifesciences Inc., a One Health technology company, announced a new contract with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. The contract (#75N93024C00009) is worth up to $33 million. It is in favor of creating a vaccine to protect against the fungus that causes Valley Fever, Coccidioides. This funding aims to leverage the science behind Anivive’s Valley Fever vaccine for dogs, currently under USDA review, to create a human vaccine.
The contract will fund various activities. These include additional manufacturing, formulation, safety testing, and an IND submission. It will also support a human Phase 1 clinical trial. Rising temperatures and extreme weather have increased fungal diseases. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed fungal pathogens as a global public health priority. Currently, no antifungal vaccines are approved for human or animal use.
“Anivive is honored to receive this NIAID contract, which will greatly accelerate our efforts to commercialize a vaccine to protect people against Valley Fever,” said Dr. Edward Robb, Anivive Lifesciences Chief Strategy Officer and Principal Investigator. “This collaborative effort has delivered a significant step forward in the field of vaccinology and holds the potential to be the first vaccine to prevent a serious systemic fungal infection common to humans and animals,” said Robb.
Anivive’s research team is supported by the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona, Recipharm for manufacturing, Quigley BioPharma for development, and Latham BioPharm Group for program management.
