BRYAN, TX — UPDATE:
A Biotech company in the Brazos Valley is seeing progress not just with one but two candidates for a possible COVID-19 vaccine.
In data released on Wednesday by i-Bio, two vaccine candidates created by the company yielded positive results in fighting the Coronavirus.
As a result, i-Bio is now looking to move forward and advance the vaccine development before taking it to clinical trials.
It will look into the proper antigens and adjuvants combinations to ensure protection against COVID-19 while also minimizing the risks to individuals with pre-existing conditions.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A possible coronavirus vaccine is being tested and developed through a Bryan-based company.
iBio, a global leader in plant-based biologics manufacturing, has partnered with Beijing CC-Pharming Ltd to develop and test a new 2019-nCoV vaccine.
The joint effort leverages twenty-five years of vaccine research and development experience.
iBio is using their FastPharming System which has been used to produce antibody candidates for Ebola and Dengue fever viruses, while human and animal studies have been completed for vaccine candidates, including yellow fever virus, human papilloma virus, seasonal influenza and avian influenza.
"We are optimistic about the potential to combine iBio’s and CC-Pharming’s technical expertise and then deploy the FastPharming System to contribute to the development of a vaccine for this disease,” said Robert B. Kay, iBio’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Due to predictions the coronavirus spread will worsen, the companies are expediting work.