Meissa Vaccines develops live attenuated vaccine candidates against respiratory viruses, including RSV and SARS-CoV-2, using its proprietary AttenuBlock synthetic biology platform to optimize immune responses. These intranasal, adjuvant-free vaccines aim to prevent serious infections and generate durable immunity, addressing the critical need for effective protection against life-threatening respiratory diseases.
Funding
$30M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2 pose significant threats, especially to infants and the elderly, due to their ability to inhibit the immune system and cause severe respiratory illnesses. Current vaccines often require adjuvants and injections, which can present challenges for widespread adoption and may not fully replicate the body's natural immune response. There is a need for vaccines that can prevent infection and disease with a strong, durable immune response.
Solution
Meissa Vaccines is developing live attenuated vaccine candidates against life-threatening respiratory viruses, including RSV and SARS-CoV-2, utilizing its proprietary AttenuBlock synthetic biology platform. The AttenuBlock platform optimizes the vaccine candidates to be safe and highly attenuated, inducing a superior immune response compared to natural infection. These vaccine candidates are designed for intranasal, adjuvant-free delivery, aiming to prevent infection and disease by inducing mucosal IgA and serum neutralizing antibodies for a multi-pronged, durable immune response. This needle-free approach seeks to improve vaccine accessibility and effectiveness against respiratory viruses.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes infants, toddlers, and the elderly, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications from RSV and SARS-CoV-2 infections, as well as individuals seeking a more accessible and effective vaccination method.
Features
- AttenuBlock synthetic biology platform for generating safe and highly attenuated vaccine candidates.
- Intranasal delivery for needle-free administration and enhanced mucosal immunity.
- Adjuvant-free formulation to minimize potential side effects.
- Optimized to induce mucosal IgA and serum neutralizing antibodies.
- Designed to prevent infection and disease, not just reduce symptom severity.
- Vaccine candidates target RSV, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).