GlyProVac is using proprietary technologies to combat antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest health challenges of the 21st century, compromising our ability to treat even simple infections. In 2050, 10 million people are expected to die yearly from untreatable microbial infections. New solutions are urgently needed, and vaccines offer a safe alternative to antibiotics.
In GlyProVac ApS we aim to design and develop novel, efficient bacterial vaccine candidates based on our proprietary platform technology BEMAP. Using BEMAP, we have revealed that both benign as well as disease causing bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Shigella. extensively modify their proteins with distinct sugar molecules, known as O-linked glycosylations. These modifications drastically influence the topology of the protein and are particularly well recognized by the human immune response.
Based on our paradigm changing discovery we believe inclusion of these modifications are crucial for the development of efficient bacterial vaccines. We are currently establishing PoC for this novel bacterial vaccine concept in Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) caused by E. coli with the GlyProVac antigen GPV02. GPV02 holds pan E. coli vaccine potential of not only UTIs, but also diarrhoea, neonatal sepsis and the severe infections associated with Healthcare associated UTIs.
Funding Achievements
Private Placements
Non-dilutive Grants
2024: Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X). is awarding GlyProVac 467,000 US$ to develop a maternal vaccine that targets Escherichia coli (E. coli), a bacterial species that causes a large portion of neonatal sepsis infections in the project: GPV02 Towards a Pan E. coli Vaccine.
2023: Horizon Europe - Eurostars. 250,000 EUR in support of the three-year development project titled “UTOPIA - UTI Targeting O-linked glycosylated antigen Potency and Integrity Assays”. The project is performed in a consortium of SMEs Spectralys (Brussels, BE) and Litevax (Oss, NL) and Odense University Hospital, Duration: April 2024 - March 2027.
2023: Innovation Fund Denmark, InnoBooster program. 95,000 EUR in support of the 7 months project “In vivo afprøvning i patientrelevant dyremodel – Proof of Business for E. coli vaccine kandidat” with Odense University Hospital/University of Southern Denmark as knowledge providers.
2022: Innovation Fund Denmark, InnoBooster program. 63,000 EUR in support of the five months development project titled ”Udvikling af bredspektret bakteriel vaccinekandidat – In vivo PoC valideret dyremodel” with Odense University Hospital/University of Southern Denmark as knowledge providers.
2021: Horizon Europe - Eurostars – 300,000 EUR in support of the three-year development project titled “SVEET - Sugar-modified Vaccine Epitopes; Exploration and Translation”. The project is performed in a consortium of SME Epitopic (Leipzig, DE), Fraunhofer IZI (Leipzig DE) and University of Southern Denmark, Duration: April 2021 - April 2024.
2020: Innovation Fund Denmark, InnoBooster program. 53,000 EUR for the nine months development project titled “Udvikling af bredspektret bakteriel vaccinekandidat – det vigtige valg af dyremodel”, with Odense University Hospital/University of Southern Denmark as knowledge providers.
2018: Innovation Fund Denmark, InnoBooster program. 161,000 EUR for the two-year development project titled “GlyProVac - Bacterial glycoprotein antigens for vaccine development in collaboration with two departments (Mass spectrometry and Microbiology) at university of Southern Denmark.
Technology
The BEMAP Technology
The GlyProVac BEMAP technology is a powerful sample enrichment method based on mass spectrometry, which allows comprehensive identification of any type of O-linked protein glycosylation. BEMAP is an extension of an SDU proprietary method, which was originally developed for enrichment of phosphopeptides. The BEMAP reaction efficiently substitutes O-linked carbohydrate moieties with a 2-aminoethyl phosphonic acid (AEP) group using base-catalysed β-elimination followed by Michael addition of the tag, thus allowing for selective peptide isolation using titanium dioxide.
Using BEMAP we have discovered that bacterial O-linked glycosylation is much more extensive than previously thought (see table below) and is especially important to Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) compared to the commensal E. coli counterpart.
The bacterial monosaccharide building blocks are absent from eukaryotic cells and thus constitute a distinguishing feature of bacteria with important roles in pathogenesis. Most, if not all the protein-based vaccines produced nowadays are produced in the non-pathogen bacterium, thereby disregarding the site-specific O-linked glycosylation.
We believe that O-linked glycoproteins are an emerging reservoir of attractive targets for antimicrobial intervention.
Conventional vs. GlyProVac Antigens
Conventional bare protein backbone antigen
GlyProVac antigen with native O-glycosylations
Intellectual Property
> Glycosylated YghJ polypeptides from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), filing date 06-10-2016, publication number 3359559 (Europe) and 10,647,749 (USA). Granted in Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, UK, Italy and USA. Independent claims granted in relation to Composition of matter and Medical use claims.
> Glycosylated YghJ polypeptides from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), filing date 06-10-2016, publication number 11/655,274, Granted in USA. Independent claims granted in relation to BEMAP Method
> Glycosylated YGHJ full length vaccine, unpublished PCT application
Intellectual property owned or licensed by GlyProVac is managed by Plougmann Vingtoft.
Team
Anders Boysen, ph.d.
CEO, Co-founder and Co-inventor
CEO, Co-founder and Co-inventor
Ann Zahle Andersen, ph.d.
COO and Co-founder
COO and Co-founder
Mette Thorsing, ph.d.
Scientist
Scientist
Julie Ingerslev Bæk-Andersen
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Thøger Krogh, ph.d.
Bioinformatics & IT Specialist
Bioinformatics & IT Specialist
Christiane Juhls
Clinical Vaccine Development Lead
Clinical Vaccine Development Lead
Board
Tommi Kainu, M.D. & Ph.D.
Chairman of the board
Chairman of the board
Co-founder of Unikum Tx. Former EVP and CBO of Bavarian Nordic A/S. Former partner at Boston Consulting Group.
LinkedIn
Kirsten Winther
Board member
Board member
Investment manager at Science Ventures Denmark. Experienced within BD, M&A, Sales Management and raising capital.
LinkedIn
Allan Rosetzsky
Board member
Board member
Founder of the CRO KLIFO. Adaptvac Board Member. Main investor in ExpreS2ion. Former Medical director at Rhône-Poulenc (now Sanofi-Aventis).
LinkedIn
Wian de Jongh
Board member
Board member
CEO and founder of Adaptvac. Co-founder of ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies, NASDAQ First North Listed.
LinkedIn