X-Vax Technology

About X-Vax Technology

X-Vax Technology, Inc. is a biotechnology firm established to confront significant mucosal infections, with a primary focus on the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The company was co-founded in 2015 by seasoned biotechnology entrepreneur Isaac Blech, known for his role in establishing major companies like Celgene and ICOS Corporation, and Roger Pomerantz. X-Vax operates on a virtual model, collaborating with a network of consultants, CROs, and CDMOs to advance its development programs.

The company's core asset is a vaccine candidate, ∆gD-2 (delta gD-2), targeting both HSV-1 and HSV-2. This vaccine is based on technology developed at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine by co-inventors Dr. William Jacobs and Dr. Betsy Herold. Unlike traditional approaches that target the glycoprotein D (gD) on the virus's surface to stimulate neutralizing antibodies, X-Vax's method involves a live-attenuated virus with the gD protein genetically deleted. The central hypothesis is that by removing this immunodominant protein, the immune system is prompted to generate a different, more effective antibody response. This response is intended to activate antibody-dependent cell-mediated killing (ADCK), where the immune system flags infected cells for destruction by natural killer cells, potentially leading to sterilizing immunity.

A significant milestone was achieved in July 2019, when the company secured $56 million in an upsized Series A financing round. The capital was raised from a syndicate of strategic and institutional investors, including Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Adjuvant Capital (an impact investment fund supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Serum Institute of India, Alexandria Venture Investments, and a vehicle from Founders Fund. These proceeds were earmarked to advance the ∆gD-2 program into a Phase 1 clinical study. In 2021, the company announced it was preparing to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. FDA. The business model is typical of a pre-revenue biotechnology firm, centered on research and development funded by venture capital, with the goal of bringing a pharmaceutical product through clinical trials to market. While preclinical models have shown promise in preventing HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections, some reports from late 2023 suggest the company may have undergone liquidation.