Akston Biosciences, a developer of new classes of biologic therapeutics, has entered a commercial agreement with Seppic S.A., a supplier of specialty healthcare ingredients, for the supply of adjuvant for use in Akston’s COVID-19 Fc fusion protein vaccine candidate, AKS-452.
 
Seppic will provide MontanideTM ISA 720 VG adjuvant for use in the vaccine, and is working with Akston to produce 10 million doses of adjuvant by late 2021 and up to 100 million doses per month in 2022. The two companies began collaborating for the development of AKS-452 in the summer of 2020.
 
AKS-452 is a protein subunit vaccine that is in Phase II testing at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), one of the largest hospitals in the Netherlands. It has been shown to be shelf-stable for at least six months at 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and it maintains its potency for one month at 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit).
 
“We are excited to work together to combine the great potential of Akston’s AKS-452 with Seppic’s deep experience in vaccine adjuvants,” said Jean-Baptiste Dellon, CEO, Seppic S.A. “Seppic is proud to support Akston’s temperature-stable COVID-19 vaccine with the supply of its adjuvant and hopes it will be globally available.”
 
Seppic has already started the ramp-up of its adjuvant, in one of its manufacturing facilities in France, to be ready for significant demand.
 
Todd Zion, president and CEO, Akston Biosciences, said, “We are confident about the potential for AKS-452 to transform the global COVID-19 landscape for those most at risk. There is a clear unmet need for AKS-452, and now, with our close collaboration with Seppic, we have the combined resources, expertise, and determination to meet this need and deliver an effective, affordable, and easily transportable vaccine to the global population.”