Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech has announced a collaboration with US-based Alopexx, Inc., for the co-development and commercialisation of Alopexx’s proprietary broad-spectrum anti-microbial vaccine, AV0328, in India and other low income and lower middle-income countries.

As part of the collaboration, the companies will co-develop and commercialise AV0328, a synthetic vaccine targeting poly N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG), in India and other licensed territories. Alopexx would be entitled to a one-time upfront payment and milestone payments, as well as royalties on future sales of AV0328 in the licensed territories.

Dr Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman of Bharat Biotech, commented, “Our goal is to develop solutions to reduce anti-microbial resistance through vaccination. This collaboration aligns with our mission to provide safe, affordable, and high-quality vaccines to combat infectious diseases globally.”

AV0328 is a synthetic vaccine designed to target poly N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG), a substance found on the surface of a wide range of bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. In pre-clinical studies, targeting PNAG has shown effectiveness in preventing and treating infections caused by over 15 different pathogens.

A phase I, first-in-human trial has been completed, demonstrating that AV0328 is well-tolerated with no serious adverse events observed. The vaccine induced antibodies capable of killing a wide range of PNAG-expressing pathogens, reaffirming its potential as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial solution.