Trending...
- Self-Published Dad's Santa Book Finally Found After 3 Years on Amazon
- Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity Urges "FOR" on Amendment 1
- Meta Partnership Expanding as Omni One Orders Surge 3X -New Consumer Bundles, Defense Opportunities & AI Robotics: Virtuix Holdings: N A S D A Q: VTIX
SEATTLE, July 10, 2024 ~ Seattle-based biotech company, Orlance, Inc., has recently been granted a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant, worth $300,000 per year for two years, will be used to develop and optimize RNA vaccine formulations using Orlance's needle-free MACH-1™ platform.
The MACH-1 platform aims to enhance the safety, stability, and efficacy of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases such as influenza and Covid-19, as well as cancer immunotherapy applications. This technology represents a significant advancement in RNA vaccine delivery compared to traditional methods.
Unlike traditional lipid nanoparticle (LNP) RNA vaccine formulations that require ultra-cold storage and have been associated with rare adverse events like myocarditis, the MACH-1 platform utilizes dry, stable RNA-coated gold microparticles. These microparticles are propelled directly into the epidermis using a burst of pressurized gas. Once they penetrate the skin's outermost layer, they are taken up by immune cells that reside there.
More on Washingtoner
This needle-free and painless delivery system not only ensures better stability at ambient temperatures but also provides significant supply chain advantages in both developed and low-resource settings. Additionally, it can significantly improve patient comfort and compliance associated with discomfort and fear of needle-based injections.
The SBIR-funded project, titled "Gene Gun-delivered RNA vaccines," will be led by Orlance Principal Investigators Hannah Frizzell, PhD and Kenneth Bagley, PhD. The team aims to optimize RNA formulations for MACH-1 gene gun delivery that maximize loading, maintain functional integrity, and ensure stability and immunogenicity. They will also compare the effectiveness of MACH-1 delivered RNA vaccines against traditional LNP/RNA vaccines in inducing immune responses in preclinical models.
Preliminary studies have shown promising results with MACH-1 delivered RNA vaccines achieving comparable immunogenicity to LNP/RNA vaccines with significantly lower doses. Orlance co-founder and CEO, Kristyn Aalto, explains that while mRNA vaccines have shown great potential in recent years, there is still significant work to be done to improve their utility and global health impact.
More on Washingtoner
The grant will enable Orlance to conduct crucial preclinical studies and pave the way for subsequent phases of development, ultimately leading to clinical trials. Aalto also mentions that Orlance already has a well-developed MACH-1 DNA vaccine candidate portfolio and offering both DNA and RNA vaccine options allows them to provide ideal solutions for specific indications.
Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Washington (UW), Orlance is focused on developing next-generation MACH-1 vaccines and cancer immunotherapies. With $13M in SBIR funding awarded to date, the company has made significant progress towards readiness for initial regulatory filings in 2024. They plan to initiate Phase I clinical trials for their lead infectious disease asset in 2025 and are actively partnering with other vaccine developers to develop MACH-1 vaccine and immunotherapy candidates across multiple indications.
Orlance's MACH-1 platform has the potential to revolutionize RNA vaccine delivery, making it safer, more stable, and more effective. With the support of NIH's SBIR grant, Orlance is one step closer to achieving their goal of improving global health through innovative genetic vaccines.
The MACH-1 platform aims to enhance the safety, stability, and efficacy of RNA vaccines for infectious diseases such as influenza and Covid-19, as well as cancer immunotherapy applications. This technology represents a significant advancement in RNA vaccine delivery compared to traditional methods.
Unlike traditional lipid nanoparticle (LNP) RNA vaccine formulations that require ultra-cold storage and have been associated with rare adverse events like myocarditis, the MACH-1 platform utilizes dry, stable RNA-coated gold microparticles. These microparticles are propelled directly into the epidermis using a burst of pressurized gas. Once they penetrate the skin's outermost layer, they are taken up by immune cells that reside there.
More on Washingtoner
- Good Organics Now at Pop Up Grocer NYC With October 30 Sampling Event
- KeysCaribbean Announces Temporarily Reduced Rates At Village at Hawks Cay Villas
- Commercial Manufacturing Validation Completed as November 10 FDA Milestone Approaches; Critical FDA Milestone Close: NRx Pharmaceuticals NAS DAQ: NRXP
- Electives Launches "Electives for Everyone," Making Live Expert-Led Learning Available to Every Employee
- Tax Tops the List as Wealthy Brits Plan Their Exit, La Vida Survey Finds
This needle-free and painless delivery system not only ensures better stability at ambient temperatures but also provides significant supply chain advantages in both developed and low-resource settings. Additionally, it can significantly improve patient comfort and compliance associated with discomfort and fear of needle-based injections.
The SBIR-funded project, titled "Gene Gun-delivered RNA vaccines," will be led by Orlance Principal Investigators Hannah Frizzell, PhD and Kenneth Bagley, PhD. The team aims to optimize RNA formulations for MACH-1 gene gun delivery that maximize loading, maintain functional integrity, and ensure stability and immunogenicity. They will also compare the effectiveness of MACH-1 delivered RNA vaccines against traditional LNP/RNA vaccines in inducing immune responses in preclinical models.
Preliminary studies have shown promising results with MACH-1 delivered RNA vaccines achieving comparable immunogenicity to LNP/RNA vaccines with significantly lower doses. Orlance co-founder and CEO, Kristyn Aalto, explains that while mRNA vaccines have shown great potential in recent years, there is still significant work to be done to improve their utility and global health impact.
More on Washingtoner
- FloorLine Launches Live Shop Floor Tracking for Small Manufacturers
- "The Tree of Cinema" Installation Brought Film History and Its Audiences Together at TIFF 2026
- Detroit Lawyer Steals $600,000 Settlement Meant to Protect Child
- The TOPS Trap: Local AI Models Hallucinated Facts, Cited Real Sources, and Sounded Confident
- Final Week to Register for Free Spokane Community Conference
The grant will enable Orlance to conduct crucial preclinical studies and pave the way for subsequent phases of development, ultimately leading to clinical trials. Aalto also mentions that Orlance already has a well-developed MACH-1 DNA vaccine candidate portfolio and offering both DNA and RNA vaccine options allows them to provide ideal solutions for specific indications.
Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Washington (UW), Orlance is focused on developing next-generation MACH-1 vaccines and cancer immunotherapies. With $13M in SBIR funding awarded to date, the company has made significant progress towards readiness for initial regulatory filings in 2024. They plan to initiate Phase I clinical trials for their lead infectious disease asset in 2025 and are actively partnering with other vaccine developers to develop MACH-1 vaccine and immunotherapy candidates across multiple indications.
Orlance's MACH-1 platform has the potential to revolutionize RNA vaccine delivery, making it safer, more stable, and more effective. With the support of NIH's SBIR grant, Orlance is one step closer to achieving their goal of improving global health through innovative genetic vaccines.
0 Comments
Latest on Washingtoner
- ClearSight Therapeutics Receives U.S. Patent Notice of Allowance
- Revinate launches hospitality's first data activation platform
- HLN Consulting Names Lilly Kan as Its First Chief Executive Officer
- BitTitan Accelerates Large-Scale Document Migrations with MigrationWiz
- Clearnetworx Deploys netElastic vBNG, CGNAT And netVision To Power Fiber Expansion Across Colorado's Western Slope
- Spokane: SPD Seeks Assistance in Locating Vehicle Associated in Hit and Run
- Tacoma: 'Capital Ready: Preparing Businesses for Growth in Public Contracting' Workshop on October 27
- Six Tacoma Census Tracts Nominated by Governor Bob Ferguson as Federal 'Opportunity Zones'
- Seven Spokane Census Tracts Receive Opportunity Zone Designations
- Creole101 Launches Multilingual Dictionary App with 50,000+ Entries, Vocabulary Games and Haitian Cultural Resources
- Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa Introduces Level 37 Sky Lounge by Casamigos
- Self-Published Dad's Santa Book Finally Found After 3 Years on Amazon
- Meta Partnership Expanding as Omni One Orders Surge 3X -New Consumer Bundles, Defense Opportunities & AI Robotics: Virtuix Holdings: N A S D A Q: VTIX
- Citizens for West Virginia Election Integrity Urges "FOR" on Amendment 1
- Vegan Kingz Expands Direct-Import Wholesale Lineup to Help Commercial Kitchens Cut Ingredient Costs
- Acuvance Survey Finds ERP Integration Remains a Key Challenge as Healthcare Organizations Prepare for AI
- Everything Policy Unveils Their Classroom Resources Behind Every Policy Topic
- Constantine "Costa" Kapothanasis II Acquires The Lubri-Loy Company, Carrying a 77-Year-Old American Lubricant Brand Into Its Next Era
- LS2 Partners with Angels Of Dirt's "Next Chapter Racer" Series Celebrating Women and Girls in Motorsports
- Danish company biosuite introduces biotech procurement software to track outsourced R&D commitments