Vaxxas has been awarded $5.4m by global charitable foundation, Wellcome, to pursue a Phase I clinical study, with a potential second-generation typhoid vaccine, delivered by Vaxxas’ proprietary high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP). Vaxxas CEO David Hoey (pictured) said, “we believe our HD-MAP has the potential to play a critical role in extending the global reach of typhoid conjugate vaccines, and make a significant difference to the lives of many”. The typhoid vaccine formulation used to coat the HD-MAP will be based on an approved typhoid conjugate vaccine that was jointly developed by Vaxxas’ collaborator in this project, SK bioscience, and the International Vaccine Institute. The typhoid vaccine candidate used in these studies will be formulated to be stable at higher temperatures than for needle and syringe vaccination, Hoey added. “Improved thermostability of vaccine products is a key potential benefit offered by Vaxxas’ HD-MAP platform, and has the potential to reduce the cost and complexity of cold-chain distribution and storage, which are both significant barriers to vaccine accessibility in lowerand middle-income countries. “The HD-MAP also has the potential benefit of requiring less training to administer and even self-administration,” Hoey said. The project is expected to be completed within two years.