• COVAXX’s UB-612 is the first multitope, synthetic peptide-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate in clinical trials and it utilizes normal refrigeration (no freezing required) for distribution
  • Agreement leverages Aurobindo’s existing development, commercial and manufacturing infrastructure
  • Phase 2/3 clinical trials by COVAXX to begin early 1Q 2021 in Asia, Latin America and USA
  • Important step in ensuring equitable access and global supply during worldwide pandemic

HYDERABAD, India I December 24, 2020 I Aurobindo Pharma Limited (NSE: AUROPHARMA) (BSE: 524804) (Reuters: ARBN.NS) (Bloomberg: ARBP:IN) and COVAXX, a US-based company, have entered into an Exclusive License Agreement to develop, commercialize and manufacture UB-612, the first Multitope Peptide-based Vaccine to fight COVID-19, for India and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) agency. COVAXX is currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial for the vaccine candidate. 

Commenting on the development, Mr. N. Govindarajan, Managing Director, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, said: “We are proud to partner with COVAXX in developing the first-ever synthetic peptide-based vaccine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. This vaccine has immense potential in eliminating shedding, and hence containing, the spread of the pandemic.”   

Under the signed agreement, Aurobindo Pharma has obtained the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and sell COVAXX’s UB-612 vaccine in India and to UNICEF, as well as non-exclusive rights in other select emerging and developing markets. Aurobindo Pharma and COVAXX are partnering on clinical development, manufacturing and marketing of COVAXX’s vaccine candidate, UB-612. Aurobindo will manufacture the finished doses at its facilities in Hyderabad. Aurobindo has the capacity of manufacturing 220 million doses in multi-dose presentation and is building additional facilities to have a total capacity of nearly 480 million doses by June 2021. 

“COVAXX is committed to providing an equitable distribution of UB-612 by prioritizing emerging markets where the unmet need is greatest,” said Mei Mei Hu, co-founder and CEO of COVAXX. “During this global health crisis response, we must establish partners with the strongest capabilities, like Aurobindo, to prioritize the development and the delivery of our vaccine. As one of the leading industry players with a strong track record of execution and investment in vaccines, Aurobindo Pharma is the ideal partner to advance UB-612 in India and other emerging nations and to support our mission of democratizing health worldwide.”

About Aurobindo Pharma

Aurobindo Pharma Limited (NSE: AUROPHARMA) (BSE: 524804) (Reuters: ARBN.NS) (Bloomberg: ARBP:IN), headquartered at Hyderabad, India, manufactures generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The company’s manufacturing facilities are approved by several leading regulatory agencies like US FDA, UK MHRA, Japan PMDA, WHO, Health Canada, MCC South Africa, ANVISA Brazil. The company’s robust product portfolio is spread over major therapeutic areas encompassing CVS, CNS, Antibiotics, Anti-Retrovirals, Gastroenterology, Anti-Allergies and Anti-Diabetics, supported by an outstanding R&D, manufacturing and distribution set-up. The Company is marketing these products globally, in over 150 countries. Aurobindo Pharma has several WHO prequalified products. The company has completed manufacturing for conducting Phase 3 of its Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccine and expects to start Phase 3 trials for the PCV vaccine in early 2021. For more information, www.aurobindo.com

About COVAXX

The mission of COVAXX is to democratize health and safeguard lives worldwide by tackling the global COVID-19 pandemic using cost-effective, scalable and proven science-based solutions. Produced from a commercially proven, vaccine platform, UB-612 is a multitope vaccine designed to activate both B and T-cell arms of the immune system. Preclinical studies have shown that the UB-612 vaccine candidate generated high titers of neutralizing antibodies.

COVAXX is a subsidiary of United Biomedical Inc (UBI), founded in 1985, with headquarters in New York. The company is a scientific trailblazer creating technological firsts, including the manufacture and commercialization of more than 100 million antibody blood diagnostic tests and 5 billion vaccine doses against infectious diseases in animal health. With proprietary access to UBI’s core technology platforms, COVAXX can develop and commercialize high precision antibody tests and a promising COVID-19 vaccine that together would form a unique Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Individuals (DIVI) system.

For more information, visit www.covaxx.com and follow us on social media. Twitter: @covaxxvaccine; Facebook: @COVAXX; LinkedIn: /COVAXX; and Instagram: @covaxxvaccine.

SOURCE: Aurobindo Pharma