Dyadic to take expression platform to Africa

Dyadic has expanded its licensing agreement with Rubic One Health to develop and commercialize vaccines and biologics for Africa.

Since 2015, Dyadic International has focused on bringing the C1 gene expression platform to the biomanufacturing space, and the firm has struck numerous deals with partners including Luina Bio, Novovet, Alphazyme, and Sanofi.

The C1 platform is based on the fungus Myceliophthora thermophila and is used in the industrial enzyme space, where it achieves productivity as high as 80 grams per liter for a single enzyme with high purity.

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The prior agreement involved establishing a basis for researching, developing, and manufacturing various other C1 produced COVID-19 vaccines, including DYAI-100. The expanded licensing agreement sees Dyadic and South African firm Rubic develop, produce, commercialize, and distribute affordable vaccines and biologics beyond COVID-19 for animal and human health in African countries.

“In our initial 2021 agreement with Rubic, Dyadic successfully transferred the C1 platform technology for the discovery, development, manufacturing, and distribution of C1 produced vaccines and biologics, such as monoclonal antibodies,” said Mark Emalfarb, Dyadic’s CEO.

“We’ve since progressed to the ongoing Phase I first in human trial for the DYAI-100 recombinant RBD booster vaccine candidate for COVID-19, which has facilitated the expansion of our licensing agreement with Rubic.  The expanded agreement provides Rubic with the ability to broaden its potential to commercialize both human and animal health products for Africa using our C1 technology.  Our collaborators continue to observe the advantages of the C1 protein production platform, which include accelerated development timelines, improved productivity, and lower manufacturing costs.”

Financial details of the expanded deal remain undisclosed but Dyadic will receive specific marketing rights and milestones and royalty payments from Rubic.

Global adoption aim

In June 2021, Emalfarb said the firm has what the world needs for COVID-19 vaccines and that “its C-1 cell protein production platform could potentially produce “antigens, quicker, faster, and in larger volumes at a lower cost.”

While the world as a whole did not fully take Emalfarb up on his declaration, Dyadic did partner with South Korean firm Medytox in July 2020 to research COVID-19 vaccines and it expanded the collaboration to co-develop vaccines and/or boosters using C1. Additionally, the firm partnered with India-based company Syngene International Limited to develop a COVID-19 vaccine candidate with the aim to immunize people against both current and future variants of the virus.

The firm said it was transferring its technology so Syngene could learn how to use it for manufacturing purposes and work at warp speed. However, Emalfarb was keen to outline that it is “not just about India. It’s about getting the technology adopted on a global basis.”