AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc.

Nasopharyngeal activation of STING pathway protects from SARs-CoV-2 and influenza in animal models HOUSTON, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc, recognized its academic collaborators at the University of Houston on publication of their pre-clinical research demonstrating that a single dose intranasal NanoSTING protects against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in hamsters and mice. NanoSTING is a formulation of 2′3′ cyclic GMP–AMP (cGAMP) in lipid nanoparticles designed for efficient uptake across mucosa to activate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. The results show that NanoSTING rapidly and efficiently activates the innate immune system. The research benefits AuraVax's approach using NanoSTING to treat and prevent viral infections. "An intranasal nanoparticle STING agonist protects against respiratory viruses in animal models," was published in Nature Communications on 18 July 2024. The senior author is Dr. Navin Varadarajan at the University of Houston and Chief Scientific Officer of AuraVax. It was co-authored with collaborators at the Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University. "These data highlight the safety and efficacy of intranasal NanoSTING to establish a loco-regional immune response against two important seasonal respiratory viruses," said Joseph Sullivan, CEO of AuraVax. "This research demonstrates the therapeutic potential of NanoSTING to treat and prevent viral infections as well as interrupt viral spread. This host-directed therapeutic is agnostic to viral etiology and appears unaffected by mutation escape." About AuraVax AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc. (AuraVax) is a privately held biotechnology company commercializing the NanoSTING platform for the treatment and prevention of multiple respiratory infections. Intranasal NanoSTING is a broad-acting, host-directed immunotherapy that safely targets the STING pathway activate innate immunity against respiratory pathogens and disrupt host-to-host transmission. For more information about AuraVax, please visit: For additional information about AuraVax, contact Joseph Sullivan at [email protected] +1 267-421-9792 SOURCE AuraVax Therapeutics Inc.

Presentation of NanoSTING as a mucosal adjuvant that is highly effective in blocking transmission of SARS-CoV-2. HOUSTON, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies to prevent and treat respiratory viruses, today announced that their partners at the University of Houston presented data at Keystone Symposia: Vaccinology During and After COVID-19 taking place from September 17-20, 2023. The team, led by Dr. Navin Varadarajan, MD Anderson Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of Houston and Chief Scientific Officer of AuraVax, demonstrated that the STING pathway can be activated by NanoSTING in the nasopharynx to produce immune responses to the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in small animals and non-human primates. Remarkably, in direct transmission experiments, the candidate vaccine completely blocked transmission to vaccine-naïve animals that were continuously exposed for multiple days. "These pre-clinical data highlight that NanoSTING can be used as a mucosal adjuvant for intranasal vaccines," said Joseph Sullivan, CEO of AuraVax. "The partnership with University of Houston established NanoSTING as a therapeutic for multiple respiratory viruses. This presentation now broadens the knowledge surrounding NanoSTING for use as a mucosal adjuvant and extends the reach of AuraVax to address the infectious risk of respiratory viruses." The oral presentation titled "Ending transmission: multi-antigen intranasal vaccines protect against challenge by diverse sarbecoviruses" by Dr. Ankita Leekha was on September 18, 2023. About AuraVax AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc. (AuraVax) is a privately held biotechnology company commercializing a new platform termed "NanoSTING" to activate STING for the treatment and prevention of respiratory infections independent of the infecting virus. NanoSTING is a broad-acting, host-directed intranasal immune-antiviral that safely targets the STING pathway to restore innate immunity for the prevention and treatment of respiratory disease as well as disrupt host-to-host transmission. For more information about AuraVax, please visit: For additional information about AuraVax, contact Joseph Sullivan at jsullivan@auravax.com +1 267-421-9792

Sullivan joins AuraVax as it prepares to file its first investigational new drug application for NanoSTING in the field of respiratory disease HOUSTON, March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immunotherapies to prevent and treat respiratory viruses, today announced the appointment of Joseph C. Sullivan as Chief Executive Officer. Most recently, Joe was Chief Commercial Officer at Nature's Toolbox. He has over 30 years' experience commercializing vaccines and biologics, including leading new vaccine products at Merck & Co, Inc. "We are thrilled that Joe is leading the Company," said Dr. Laurence Cooper, AuraVax co-founder. "He brings three decades of highly relevant experience in small and large biotechnology companies. He has successfully launched drugs, licensed technologies, and built pharmaceutical collaborations. While at Nature's Toolbox, Inc., Joe formed research collaborations with multinational and regional vaccine companies. At Merck, he managed the introduction of the vaccine Gardasil® in the U.S and led the growth of Singulair® into a multi-billion-dollar business in asthma and allergic rhinitis. Under his leadership, AuraVax will be undertaking its first clinical studies to evaluate NanoSTING, its lead therapeutic candidate. The preclinical in vivo animal data shows our technology can enhance the immune system to address infections by many different respiratory viruses without evidence of adverse events." "I am honored and excited to join the team at AuraVax and lead our efforts to develop this novel therapeutic," said Joe Sullivan. "The morbidity and mortality of respiratory pathogens continues to increase world-wide and medical professionals need new options for patients. NanoSTING offers the potential to protect by activating the immune system at the first signs of disease -- and is future-proof as the underlying technology appears to not be vulnerable to mutations of pathogens that can undermine the efficacy of targeted therapeutics." About AuraVax AuraVax Therapeutics Inc. ("AuraVax") is a privately held biotechnology company developing a novel platform to leverage the STING pathway of the immune system. Its lead candidate, NanoSTING, is an intranasal investigational therapy for respiratory viruses to deliver a proprietary immunomodulator at the site of early infection that stimulates a beneficial immune response to control disease and transmission. The Company's goal is to commercialize the platform to combine the ease of use of self-administration with the ability to deliver broad treatment of and prevention against respiratory viruses. For more information about AuraVax and its proprietary platform, please visit: For additional information about AuraVax, contact Matthew J. Meyer [email protected] +1 415-947-2097 SOURCE AuraVax Theraputics