A VAST Amount of Potential
Hepione Theraptics has access to a unique, propriatary vaccine platofrm developed by harnessing the coat of the African trypanosome. This highly unusual surface is densely carpeted by ~10 million copies of a single protein, the Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG), and is unique in the microbial world. The VAST system (VSG-immunogen Array by Sortase Tagging) is built on more than a decade of research into exploiting this highly immunogenic coat for vaccination purposes. The science behind the platform has been presented in numerous peer reviewed publications (e.g., Journal of Immunological Methods 2010, Nature Communications 2017).
Early stage work was funded by a prestigious NIH Transformative Research Award. Currently the platform is supported by an NIH SBIR award to Hepione Therapeutics Inc. (for applications in anti-opioid treatments) as well an a European Research Council Proof of Concept award (ERC POC for EPIMODKIT) to Dr. Papavasiliou.
12 years ago, the idea for the VAST platform was born in the laboratory of Dr. Papavasiliou and developed across two continents.
How It Works
Identify target antigen
Determine a research, diagnostic, or disease target for antibody or vaccine approaches.
Coat surface with antigen
Antigens of interest are covalently attached to individual VSG proteins of the densely patterned surface.
Produce immunotherapy
The antigen-coated surface is finished into the VAST product that is ready for animal or human inoculation for vaccination or production of monoclonal antibodies.
