# AIOVA's presentation sheet

Corinne Ronfort, Yahia Chebloune

► To cite this version:

Corinne Ronfort, Yahia Chebloune. AIOVA's presentation sheet. AIOVA sas. 2023. hal-04620958

HAL Id: hal-04620958

https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04620958v1

Submitted on 22 Jun 2024

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Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
# Innovative DNA Vaccines to fight major viral pandemics

## BIOTECH & DEEPTECH

* A seed stage R&D company developing the next generation of vaccines

* Creation date: October 2019

* Founders :
  - C. Ronfort (CEO)
  - Y. Chebloune (CSO)
  - Linksium TTO

* https://www linksium fr / projets/va ccyvet

## BUSINESS MODEL

* Licences & royalties

* Co-developments

* Strategic partnerships

## INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

* FR1158096 of 12/09/2011 "Non-integrative chimeric lentiviral genomes as innovative vaccines against HIV-1" - WO2013037841 -

* A secret khow-how against an animal lentivirus

→ A strategy of patenting to extend IP coverage

## LABORATORY PARTNER

* Pathogenesis & Lentiviral Vaccination lab. (PAVAL) INRA-Université Grenoble-Alpes. France. Dir : Y. Chebloune

* https://www.pavallab.com/

* https://hub-recherche.fr/Pages/Structure.aspx?&sid=260

## NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING TO DATE

* I-Lab 2018 laureate

* French "Innovation and Industry Fund"

* BPI France (French Tech Emergence Grant)

## CONTEXT

Emergence or re-emergence of infectious diseases are threatening the human and animal lives by causing regularly and global and deadly pandemics. Numbers of pandemics are expected to increase because of massive urbanization and environmental degradation resulting from climate change.

The current COVID-19 pandemic, our current vaccine target, is caused by a new highly transmissible and deadly coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), the third emergent human coronavirus in the past 20 years (after SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012).

AIOVA develops the next generation of DNA vaccines to promptly, effectively, and sustainably tackle emergent and reemergent infectious diseases. AIOVA owns a patented eDNA platform with intrinsic and unique properties conferring augmented immunity and protection compared to other vaccine platforms (including other DNA vaccines).

AIOVA designs and develops candidate vaccines to supply pharmaceutical industrial customers.

## TECHNOLOGY

* The unique and patented technology of AIOVA uses an eDNA platform combined with patented properties to promptly generate vaccine prototypes that can be adapted to numerous infectious diseases

* Based this technology, protection against the targeted pathogens is:

* robust

* long-lasting: the host is vaccinated for years

* universal (or cross-strains): the vaccine protects not only against the targeted virus but also against derivative mutants and closely related viruses.

* DNA is an inert and immunogen molecule therefore usable for re-vaccination and in combination for multivalent vaccines.

## MARKETS OPPORTUNITIES

* First target: HIV, responsible of AIDS

* Second target: SARS-CoV-2, its mutants and other coronaviruses (SARS and MERS)

* Future target: seasonal or highly pathogenic Influenza viruses, causing Flu

* More generally, emerging or re-emerging and zoonotic diseases

* Human vaccine markets

* Veterinary vaccine markets (both livestock and pets)

* To test: vaccination against cancer

## COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF AIOVA'S PRODUCTS

* Highly efficient vaccines, thanks to the eDNA properties to induce:

* a broad and augmented protective immunity

* long-lasting protective immune responses (several year)

* Optimal safety profile:

* healthy formulations: AIOVA's vaccines are adjuvant-free

* high tolerability: as an inert molecule, DNA is very well tolerated by the vaccinated host and does not persist in the organism

* Easy to handle: no need to manipulate the viral pathogen but only a non-infectious fraction of DNA

* DNA has been tested during numerous clinical trials

* Very profitable vaccines because:

* easy and not costly to manufacture in large scales

* simple and highly stable: DNA vaccine formulations do not require cold chain for storage and transport

* the industrialization of DNA has already been successfully performed (Elanco).
# Innovative DNA Vaccines to fight major viral pandemics

## NEWS

In May 2020, publication of the preclinical data of a vaccine against HIV-1 in Vaccine (an international, high-level ranked and peer-reviewed journal)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32278522/

## TECHNOLOGY FEATURES

AIOVA's technology stimulates the two arms of the immunity in the vaccinated host:

* the first arm is composed of antibodies that destroy the viruses circulating in the vaccinated host (all vaccines provoke the generation of antibodies),

* the second arm is composed of so-called killer cells (CD8+ T cells) that destroy the cells producing the viruses (as do not do most other vaccines).

The simultaneous activation of these two arms of immunity gives our vaccines their unique properties of protection.

## STATE OF PROGRESS / Technical milestones achieved

* Currently, a lead prototype against coronaviruses tested in mice

* A proof of concept against HIV-1/AIDS, was successfully performed in macaques in a pre-clinical phase: This prototype is the only vaccine worldwide protecting 100% of vaccinated animals.

* Another proof of concept against an AIDS-like virus in the relevant animal.

## THE TEAM

* Corinne RONFORT (PhD, HDR) – CEO

* Yahia Chebloune (PhD, HDR, Research Director at INRAE-Univ. Grenoble) – CSO

* Céline Massera. R&D Engineer – 10 years of experience in biology.

* Currently in search of a CTO

* Advisory Team & Board of Directors: being formed

## FINANCIAL NEEDS & OBJECTIVES

Seeking a 0.25 to 0.5 (step 1) and a 2.5 to 3 millions € (further steps) in early-stage rounds.

Anticipated achievements of the following milestones after financing:

* An universal vaccine candidate against coronaviruses with:

* a demonstrated pre-clinical efficacy in hamster (Step 1)

* protected by a world-wide patent (Step 1)

* a demonstrated pre-clinical efficacy in macaques

* a demonstrated safety in rodents (toxicological studies)

* pre-industrialization performed

* Contacts with pharma partners for licensing or co-development in clinical phases in Humans

* A high increase in value of the vaccine platform for further developments

## DEVELOPMENT PLAN – TIMELINE

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