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Capricor Therapeutics Announces Positive Preclinical Data for Multivalent Exosome-mRNA Vaccine For COVID-19
Potential Vaccine Candidate Employs Novel Exosome-Based mRNA Delivery Platform that Induces Long-Lasting Immunity to Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Capricor
About this update from Capricor Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Potential Vaccine Candidate Employs Novel Exosome-Based mRNA Delivery Platform that Induces Long-Lasting Immunity to Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Proteins\n Capricor Scheduling Pre-IND Meeting with FDA to Discuss Clinical Strategy LOS ANGELES, Nov. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capricor Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAPR), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of first-in-class cell- and exosome-based therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of a variety of diseases and disorders, in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, announced today that positive data from a preclinical study for a multivalent exosome-based mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 has been posted on the bioRxiv preprint server and will be submitted for publication. “Capricor’s unique exosome-based mRNA delivery platform is a novel type of SARS-CoV-2 potential vaccine being developed to aid in the worldwide fight against this virus, which continues to plague the world,” said Dr. Linda Marbán, Ph.D., CEO of Capricor. “Exosomes are the body’s own drug delivery vehicle, produced by all cells, abundant in all biofluids, and demonstrated to be safe by decades of transfusion and transplantation medicine. This study represents a major step forward for our joint effort to develop exosome-based therapeutics. Furthermore, it highlights the ability of our exosome-based RNA delivery platform to deliver multiple mRNAs, induce long-lasting immune responses to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins, and potentially elicit a broad-based, cellular immunity that extends beyond the Spike protein alone, which is the sole target of leading vaccine candidates.” Key findings of the pre-clinical study in mice include: Development of safe, non-toxic exosome formulation capable of delivering functional mRNA in vitro and in vivo.Creation of a multiplexed exosome-RNA vaccine that expresses viral antigens engineered to induce cellular immunity and antibody responses to multiple proteins of SARS-CoV-2.Validation that an exosome mRNA vaccine can induce:° Persistent cellular immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 N and S proteins.° Moderate but sustained antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 N and S proteins. Exosomes represent a natural drug delivery vehicle. Their small size, biological origin, minimal immunogenicity and normal role in deliver...