News Release
VLP Therapeutics, Inc.
For immediate release: April 22, 2024

Contact: Yutaka Iijima, Director of Global Communications and IR, info@vlptherapeutics.com
VLP Therapeutics makes dengue vaccine that induces antibodies, reduces replication inmonkeys: Taking a step closer to next-gen dengue vaccine [Journal of Virology]
VLP Therapeutics, Inc. (VLPT) researchers and their colleagues at Nagasaki University and theNational Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan have demonstrated that immunization ofmonkeys with a tetravalent dengue virus-like particle-based (DENVLP) vaccine induces highlevels of neutralizing antibodies and reduces the severity of infection for all four dengue

serotypes. The researchers also found that the DENVLP vaccination did not generate antibodydependent enhancement (ADE) response — a major hindrance in the development of dengue
vaccines —for any of the four dengue serotypes at physiological serum concentrations. VLPT
designed and developed this vaccine using its VLP platform technologies.

A paper reporting these findings was published online in the Journal of Virology on April 22,2024. This research was conducted with support from the Global Health Innovative
Technology Fund (G2016-109).

“In light of the levels of IgG and neutralizing antibodies induced with doses as low as 0.5μg(0.125μg x 4 dengue serotypes), we believe that this is a promising dengue vaccine candidate,”says Dr. Wataru Akahata, CEO and founder of VLPT. “Based on these outcomes we plan toproceed to the initial stage of clinical trials, and the preparations are well underway.”

Title: A Tetravalent Dengue Virus-like Particle Vaccine Induces High levels of Neutralizing
Antibodies and Reduces Dengue Replication in Non-Human Primates
Journal: Journal of Virology（American Society for Microbiology）

Authors: Daniel Thoresen+, Kenta Matsuda+, Akane Urakami, Mya Myat Ngwe Tun,Takushi Nomura, Meng Ling Moi, Yuri Watanabe, Momoko Ishikawa, Trang Thi Thu Hau,Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Yuriko Suzaki, Yasushi Ami, Jonathan F Smith, Tetsuro Matano,
1/2

News Release
Kouichi Morita, and Wataru Akahata* (+Authors contributed equally | *Correspondingauthor)

DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00239-24

URL: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.00239-24
Published: April 22, 2024

Abstract of the paper: Dengue virus (DENV) represents a significant global health burden,

with 50% of the world’s population at risk of infection, and there is an urgent need for nextgeneration vaccines. Virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccines, which mimic the antigenic

structure of the virus but lack the viral genome, are an attractive approach. Here we describe adengue VLP (DENVLP) vaccine which generates a neutralizing antibody response against all
four DENV serotypes in 100% of immunized non-human primates for up to one year.

Additionally, DENVLP vaccination produced no ADE response against any of four DENV

serotypes in vitro. DENVLP vaccination reduces viral replication in a non-human primatechallenge model. We also show that transfer of purified IgG from immunized monkeys into

immunodeficient mice protects against subsequent lethal dengue virus challenge, indicating ahumoral mechanism of protection. These results indicate that this DENVLP vaccine isimmunogenic and can be considered for clinical evaluation.
###About VLP Therapeutics: VLP Therapeutics, Inc. (VLPT), co-founded in 2013 by Drs. Wataru
Akahata, Ryuji Ueno, and Sachiko Kuno, is a Maryland, US-based biotech company with amission to address unmet medical needs worldwide and expand the frontiers of vaccinetreatment. VLPT is currently engaged in research and development of a cancer treatment

vaccine as well as prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases including malaria anddengue.

About VLP Therapeutics Japan: VLP Therapeutics Japan, Inc. (VLPT Japan), founded in 2020

by Dr. Wataru Akahata originally as a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based VLP Therapeutics,
Inc., is a Tokyo-based biotech company. VLPT Japan is currently engaged in research anddevelopment of prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases, including COVID-19,

influenza, and dengue. The COVID-19 project is funded by the Japan Agency for Medical

Research and Development (AMED) and the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
2/2