Affinivax is a biotechnology company focused on developing a new class of vaccines to address infectious diseases. It aims to provide broader protection against various pathogens by enhancing the body’s immune response.
Understanding Affinivax
Affinivax was founded in 2014 with a mission to revolutionize vaccine technology and offer improved protection against infectious and immune-mediated diseases.
Now part of GSK, Affinivax focuses on developing vaccines that induce broad and robust protective immune responses. These responses target both disease-relevant polysaccharides and proteins in a single vaccine, addressing challenges posed by pathogens, including antimicrobial-resistant ones.
The MAPS Platform
Affinivax’s core innovation is its proprietary Multiple Antigen Presenting System (MAPS) technology. This platform uses a unique chemistry that allows for the precise and flexible combination of various polysaccharide (sugar) and protein antigens.
The MAPS platform creates macromolecular complexes that present both polysaccharide and protein antigens to the immune system. Polysaccharide antigens stimulate an antibody response, while protein antigens elicit T-cell and additional antibody responses.
This modular “plug-and-play” design allows for easy exchange of vaccine components and precise control over the polysaccharide-to-protein ratio. The ability to combine multiple antigens from a pathogen, rather than just using a carrier protein, aims to activate different parts of the immune system for a more comprehensive response.
Key Vaccine Programs
Affinivax has applied its MAPS technology to develop several vaccine candidates, with a notable focus on pneumococcal disease. Its lead program, AFX3772, is a vaccine candidate targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for pneumonia, meningitis, and other serious infections. AFX3772 includes 24 pneumococcal polysaccharides and two conserved pneumococcal proteins.
Clinical studies have shown AFX3772 to be well-tolerated and capable of eliciting both B-cell (antibody) and T-cell immunity against the 24 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes. In July 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for AFX3772 to prevent invasive disease and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in adults aged 50 years and older. A 30-plus valent pneumococcal vaccine candidate is also in preclinical development, aiming for even broader coverage. The company has also explored MAPS technology for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in preclinical studies.
Importance of MAPS Technology
The MAPS technology is considered a significant advancement in vaccinology due to its potential advantages over traditional vaccine approaches. Unlike conventional conjugate vaccines that primarily focus on eliciting antibody responses to polysaccharide antigens using a carrier protein, MAPS can present both polysaccharide and pathogen-specific protein antigens. This dual presentation aims to induce both antibody and T-cell immune responses, providing broader and potentially more robust protection.
The modular nature of MAPS allows for the inclusion of more antigens in a single vaccine, potentially offering wider coverage against diverse strains of pathogens. This could be particularly impactful for diseases caused by pathogens with many different serotypes, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. The technology’s design also aims for a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process compared to traditional conjugation methods, which could improve global access to vaccines.