Immuno Cure and PharmaJet partner to advance a novel HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine using needle-free technology in humans
Immuno Cure BioTech, a clinical-stage biotechnology group based in Hong Kong Science Park, announced its upcoming collaboration with PharmaJet to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine, ICVAX, delivered through PharmaJet's innovative Tropis needle-free injection system in a clinical study.
On June 16, 2025, Immuno Cure and PharmaJet held a material transfer agreement (MTA) signing ceremony at the BIO 2025 International Convention in Boston, USA to commemorate such collaboration.
• HIV/AIDS remains a critical global health challenge today, despite advances in treatment and prevention.
• As of 2023, over 39 million people were living with HIV, and more than 40 million deaths have occurred since the start of the epidemic in 1981.
• Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) is highly effective in suppressing the virus in HIV-1 infected individuals, but it does not provide a cure.
• This underscores the necessity for an effective immunotherapy that can enhance the host immune response to establish a state of ART-free virological control, or a functional cure.
• ICVAX employs Immuno Cure's patented PD-1-Enhanced DNA Vaccine technology, which aims to achieve sustained, immune-mediated HIV-1 virological control without the need of ART.
• Following the successful first-in-human ICVAX phase I clinical trial that showed exceptional safety and immunogenicity profiles, this new clinical study will explore the use of the WHO prequalified PharmaJet Tropis device for the administration of ICVAX, which allows precise intradermal delivery through its advanced needle-free technology.
• Tropis' global regulatory clearances and manufacturing scale reduce development risk and may improve the DNA vaccine performance and patient's clinical experience.
• This study will be conducted at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong SAR, led by Professor Grace LUI, Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
• This study is a collaborative effort among Immuno Cure, CUHK, and the AIDS Institute of the University of Hong Kong, and is partially supported by the funding from the Public Sector Trial Scheme of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government.
• Professor Zhiwei CHEN, Director of the AIDS Institute of the University of Hong Kong, serves as the Project Coordinator for this funding.
Dr. Xia JIN, CEO of Immuno Cure, said ""We are thrilled to partner with PharmaJet on this innovative delivery approach to HIV treatment. This collaboration not only advances needle-free vaccination solutions but also accelerates the global commercialization potential for ICVAX and the vaccine's ability to transform HIV management.""
Dan MALLON, senior VP of Corporate Development of PharmaJet, added ""We are excited to support Immuno Cure's novel HIV-1 therapeutic vaccine programme with PharmaJet's patented needle-free injection technology. PharmaJet is one of the leaders in nucleic acid-based vaccine and therapeutic delivery and we are encouraged by the potential for the Tropis intradermal delivery system to make a substantial impact for HIV patients. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing innovative, patient-friendly technologies that address unmet medical needs globally."
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