The vaccines company

There is currently no effective method of combating many bacterial infections. People in developing countries, for example, cannot afford antibiotics, even if they have access to them. However, doctors are also anxiously searching for new ways of combating bacteria in industrialized nations. Some bacteria have become resistant to all or almost all antibiotics - and the situation is becoming increasingly acute. Vaxxilon could help to close the gap in the arsenal against microbes. Peter Seeberger’s Group at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces established the foundation for such solutions through its research into carbohydrate-based vaccines. “This new class of vaccines can be produced more quickly and less expensively and also offers further benefits in terms of distribution and administration, which may improve global access to vaccines,” remarks the Max Planck Director.

Vaxxilon aims to fully harness this potential. “We are extremely impressed by the work carried out by Professor Seeberger’s team,” says Jean-Paul Clozel, Managing Director and CEO of Actelion. “I am therefore delighted that Actelion can help to translate the research results into prophylactic and therapeutic options.” Actelion is the principal investor and majority shareholder in Vaxxilon, having made a funding commitment of up to 30 million euros to be released in tranches over a period of three to four years. “This investment represents an innovative way of taking advantage of synergies that exist between the worlds of research and industry,” underscores Jean-Paul Clozel. “With Vaxxilon, we are creating an opportunity to launch synthetic carbohydrate vaccines on the market within a decade.”

Peter Seeberger’s team has conducted research into and developed preclinical candidates for vaccines against various bacterial infections. Work jointly conducted by Peter Seeberger and Gennaro de Libero, a professor of medicine at the University Hospital of Basel, has also resulted in a decisive method in the development and production of new vaccines. “I am very proud the research and technical development we undertook in the Max Planck Society, together with my colleague Gennaro de Libero from the University Hospital of Basel, will now be advanced at Vaxxilon,” says Peter Seeberger. “I strongly believe that the speed and flexibility of a small company combined with Actelion’s financial backing will allow this new vaccine technology to be taken to the clinical testing stage and made available to the patients concerned quickly and efficiently.” Vaxxilon plans to carry out the first studies on humans with a new vaccine over the next three years.

Vaxxilon will be headed by Tom Monroe who has held various positions of increasing responsibility at Actelion over the past 15 years. Four accomplished chemists from Peter Seeberger’s Group will make up the initial scientific team at Vaxxilon, and additional experienced personnel are to be recruited shortly. Vaxxilon, a Swiss limited liability company, will be headquartered in Reinach, Switzerland; a research facility will be established in Berlin.

The new company’s operations will be overseen by a Board of Directors with representatives from Actelion and the Max Planck Society, including Peter Seeberger, as well as an independent member. David Stout, recently elected to the Actelion Board of Directors and former President of Pharmaceutical Operations at GlaxoSmithKline, will serve as Chairperson.