Vicebio, the British biotech, has closed a $100 million Series B funding round as it advances a Phase I study of its bivalent vaccine for RSV and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). A readout for the vaccine, VXB-241, is expected next year. In addition, the company plans to use some of the funds to advance VXB-251, a trivalent vaccine targeting RSV, hMPV, and parainfluenza virus 3.
Both VXB-241 and VXB-251 have been developed using Vicebio’s “molecular clamp” technology, designed to stabilize viral proteins in the body, facilitating the delivery and storage of the biotech’s vaccines. This technology was pioneered by a team from the University of Queensland in Australia, led by Paul Young, Daniel Watterson, and Keith Chappell. The University of Queensland initially developed the technology before licensing it out to Vicebio.
The funding round was led by TCGX and Medicxi, with participation from other investors, including Goldman Sachs, Avoro Ventures, venBio, and UniQuest.
Hanon, a recent addition to Vicebio, joined from GSK, the first company to gain approval for an RSV vaccine for adults last year with Arexvy. Pfizer now markets its rival vaccine, Abrysvo, which was joined by Moderna’s mRNA-based mRESVIA in May. Merck & Co. is also in the race, and AstraZeneca, which produces the approved RSV antibody Beyfortus, entered the field late last year when it acquired RSV vaccine developer Icosavax.
Currently, no vaccines simultaneously target both RSV and hMPV, nor are there any in advanced trial stages, suggesting that Vicebio still has the opportunity to carve out its own space in this increasingly competitive market. However, Vicebio’s prospects will face competition from IVX-A12, the RSV and hMPV combo vaccine owned by AstraZeneca following its acquisition of Icosavax.
In fact, AstraZeneca was already touting IVX-A12 as “phase 3 ready” as of late December last year.
