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IMUNON Enters into Technology Evaluation Agreement with Acuitas Therapeutics to Evaluate IMUNON’s PLACCINE Plasmid DNA with Acuitas’ Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery System
Successful combination of technologies will expand the opportunities for IMUNON’s DNA-based modality and broaden applications for the PLACCINE nucleic acid
About this update from Imunon, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Successful combination of technologies will expand the opportunities for IMUNON’s DNA-based modality and broaden applications for the PLACCINE nucleic acid vaccine platform as an alternative to mRNA and protein vaccines LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. and VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMUNON, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMNN), a clinical-stage drug development company, and Acuitas Therapeutics, a private biotechnology company focused on the development of delivery systems for nucleic acid vaccines and therapeutics based on lipid nanoparticles (LNP), today announced the signing of an agreement to evaluate the combination of IMUNON’s PLACCINE nucleic acid vaccine constructs formulated with Acuitas’ proprietary lipid delivery technology. Under the agreement, IMUNON will evaluate administration of its vector constructs formulated in various Acuitas LNP formulations for gene expression and immunogenicity in murine models. “We are delighted to enter into this technology evaluation agreement with Acuitas Therapeutics, an organization renowned for its delivery technology capabilities, particularly with its LNP systems for mRNA vaccines,” said Corinne Le Goff, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of IMUNON. “In light of the recent successes with our PLACCINE technology and promising proof-of-concept SARS CoV-2 data in non-human primates, we believe the time is right to explore the expansion of our technology to other types of delivery systems as we position our nucleic acid-based modality as the future of vaccinology.” IMUNON has demonstrated initial proof-of-concept of its PLACCINE nucleic acid vaccine platform in rodent and non-human primate models through intramuscular (IM) administration of PLACCINE plasmid DNA constructs expressing single or multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens in combination with the PLACCINE delivery system. In October 2022, IMUNON reported partial results from an ongoing non-human primate study that examined a single plasmid DNA vector containing the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant spike antigen formulated with a synthetic DNA delivery system. In the study, Cynomolgus monkeys were vaccinated with the PLACCINE vaccine or a commercial mRNA vaccine on Day 1, 28 and 84. Analysis of blood samples for IgG and neutralizing antibodies showed evidence of immunogenicity in both PLACCINE- and mRNA-vaccinated subjects. PCR analysis of b...