HLB Signs Global Rights Acquisition Agreement for COVID Vaccine 'Nanocovax' with Nanogen

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] HL Biopharma has acquired the global rights (excluding some countries such as Vietnam and India) to NanoGen's COVID-19 vaccine 'Nanocovax,' which is currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in Vietnam.

On the 18th, Jin Yang-gon, Chairman of HL Biopharma, and Ho Nhan, Chairman of NanoGen, signed the 'HL Biopharma-NanoGen Nanocovax Global Rights Agreement (MOU)' via video conference, focusing on the technology transfer of 'Nanocovax.'

Through this agreement, both companies agreed to transfer technology for the production, sales, and global marketing of 'Nanocovax,' which is in the final stages of Phase 3 clinical trials. Each company will appoint three lead scientists to review Nanocovax-related materials within three months and complete the technology transfer negotiations.

'Nanocovax' is a vaccine made from recombinant protein subunits, offering advantages such as high immune response rates, safety, fewer side effects, and ease of storage.

Although it is a protein-based vaccine similar to the U.S. Novavax, Nanocovax differs in that it was developed using CHO cells. According to Phase 2 clinical data completed on April 8, all subjects who received the vaccine showed antibody formation rates above the standard. In the group administered 25 mcg, over 90% antibody production was observed 14 days after the second dose.

In some subjects, neutralizing antibodies were maintained at 60 times the baseline at 35 days after the first dose and 34 times at three months. Efficacy was also confirmed against various variants such as Alpha and Beta. Currently, Phase 3 clinical trials are underway in Vietnam with 13,000 participants, and emergency use approval from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health is awaited soon based on Phase 2 and early Phase 3 data. On the 10th, technology transfer discussions were also held with Bekaria Pharmaceutical Group, a major Indian pharmaceutical company, for vaccine production in India.

NanoGen, which submitted vaccine samples to the World Health Organization (WHO) in July, plans to initiate the WHO approval process as soon as Phase 3 clinical trials are completed. Siemens Healthineers of Germany participated in analyzing the clinical results of Nanocovax, enhancing the credibility of the data. In April, WHO upgraded Vietnam to a 'vaccine stable production country' (Level 3).

The agreement between HL Biopharma and NanoGen is the result of a partnership between Chairman Jin Yang-gon and Chairman Ho Nhan. Having built long-standing trust through mutual equity investments between Next Science and NanoGen and the participation of each company's chairman as a registered director in the other company, the two leaders plan to establish a foundation for the companies' renewed growth through this Nanocovax licensing agreement.

HL Biopharma plans to further strengthen the HL Biopharma Bio eco-System (HBS), composed of pharmaceutical and bio companies within the group, by introducing a COVID-19 vaccine nearing commercialization. Previously, HL Biopharma Pharmaceutical signed a global pharmaceutical development agreement with NanoGen to develop a nasal spray antibody-based COVID-19 treatment.

Chairman Jin Yang-gon stated, "Amid the global intensification of vaccine supply disruptions, securing the global rights to 'Nanocovax,' which has proven high efficacy and safety, will open new avenues for domestic and international vaccine supply. We will establish production and sales plans for 'Nanocovax' tailored to the strengths of HBS members such as HL Biopharma Pharmaceutical, Dandi Bioscience, Eleva, and Immunomic, and upgrade it into a vaccine effective against various variants through additional technological development."

Chairman Ho Nhan emphasized, "Vietnam is the fourth vaccine-producing country in Asia with a 126-year history of vaccine development. NanoGen, at the forefront of Vietnam's vaccine development and production, highly values HL Biopharma Group's global licensing experience. The two companies will lead the success of 'Nanocovax' through a progressive relationship and aim to become a global bio company through continuous technology agreements."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.