Capless mRNA for use as a vaccine

NIH Pandemic-Era Grants

Pandemic Era Grants

2024

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Principal Investigator: BRIAN W FOUTY
Organization: COMPOVAX, LLC
Fiscal Year: 2024
Award: $294,877
Funding agency: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The success of mRNA vaccines in controlling the COVID 19 pandemic has confirmed the efficacy of mRNA and
has also provided a blueprint on how to construct these vectors in terms of structure and cost. We have recently
developed a new mRNA platform that, unlike current mRNA vaccines/therapeutics, does not require a 5’ cap to
function, dramatically reducing the cost. More efficient at protein translation than canonical (capped) mRNA
vectors, these mRNA vectors initiate translation from an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) and contain a
specially designed self-folding secondary structure to protect the 5’ end against degradation, significantly
improving its stability and protein expression. The produced mRNA does not require any additional modifications
to be functional. This makes this mRNA design attractive for use as a vaccine or therapeutic.
In this STTR Phase I proposal, investigators at CompoVax and the University of South Alabama will test this
(capless) mRNA design as a vaccine and compare it against a classical (capped) mRNA vaccine in mice. The
vaccines will express either the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or the Influenza A hemagglutinin surface protein.
The proposal will provide evidence that this capless mRNA vaccine platform can generate a robust immune
response and can be used as an affordable substitution to current mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.

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