PharmaJet® and Immuno Cure Sign Agreement for Clinical Development of a Needle-free HIV Therapeutic DNA Vaccine
PharmaJet® and Immuno Cure Sign Agreement for Clinical Development of a Needle-free HIV Therapeutic DNA Vaccine
- Agreement builds on PharmaJet’s strategy to be the best-in-class delivery system for novel DNA- and RNA-based vaccines and immunotherapies using intradermal (ID) administration.
- ID delivery leverages the rich network of dendritic cells, macrophages, and T cells in the dermal layer and can provide a more potent and broader immunogenic response compared with intramuscular (IM) delivery.1
- Clinical data reinforces how enhanced performance and acceptability of nucleic acid vaccines can be achieved with ID administration using the Tropis® ID system.2
GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PharmaJet®, a company that strives to improve the performance and outcomes of injectables with its enabling needle-free injection technology, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Immuno Cure, a prominent developer of DNA vaccines. Under the terms of the agreement, Immuno Cure will use PharmaJet’s Tropis ID system in a human clinical trial to deliver their novel HIV-1 therapeutic DNA Vaccine (ICVAX). The agreement was executed on June 16, 2025, during a signing ceremony at the 2025 BIO International Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
The study follows the successful first-in-human ICVAX Phase 1 clinical trial that showed exceptional safety and promising immunogenicity profiles.3 The vaccine represents a significant step towards achieving virological control by ICVAX without antiretroviral therapy and ultimately becoming a functional cure of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS. Immuno Cure is investigating the potential for the Tropis ID system to improve the DNA vaccine performance and patient’s clinical experience.
Intradermal delivery is expected to help elicit long-lived and cross-reactive immune responses. The Tropis system easily leverages the rich network of dendritic cells, macrophages and T cells in the dermal layer and can provide a more potent and broader immunogenic response than vaccinating into the muscle.1 Tropis is commercially scaled, has been used for over 12 million injections, and is the first and only needle-free ID delivery technology to achieve World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification.
Dr. Xia Jin MD PhD, CEO of Immuno Cure, said, “At Immuno Cure, our mission is to advance transformative therapies for infectious diseases and cancer. We are excited to partner with PharmaJet and leverage their Tropis Needle-free Injection System on our HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine program. We value innovative approaches that could enhance patient experience and vaccine performance.”
“This agreement adds to our portfolio of global development partnerships with innovative oncology and infectious disease developers. Our partners are joining our call to challenge antiquated IM administration methods in favor of ID delivery based on the growing body of evidence4 demonstrating improved immune responses and safety profiles,” said Dan Mallon, Senior Vice President Corporate Development, PharmaJet. “PharmaJet’s needle-free technology is safe and well-tolerated and has shown to enable immune responses that are robust and durable.”
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1 |
Kupper, T. S. & Fuhlbrigge, R. C. (2004). Immune surveillance in the skin: mechanisms and clinical consequences. Nat Rev Immunol 4, 211-222. |
2 |
Teixeira, L. et al. (2020). A First-in-Human Phase I Study of INVAC-1, an Optimized Human Telomerase DNA Vaccine in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 26, 588-597 |
3 |
Immuno Cure Biotech Presents Promising Results on Phase I Clinical Trial of a Therapeutic HIV DNA Vaccine, Nov. 12, 2024 |
4 |
Ledesma-Feliciano C, et al (2023). Improved DNA Vaccine Delivery with Needle-free Injection Systems. Vaccines. 11(2):280 |
About PharmaJet
The PharmaJet mission is to improve the performance and outcomes of injectables with our enabling technology that better activates the immune system. We are committed to helping our partners realize their research and commercialization goals while making an impact on public health. PharmaJet Precision Delivery Systems™ can improve vaccine effectiveness, allow for a preferred patient and caregiver experience, and offer a proven path to commercialization. They are also safe, fast, and easy-to-use. Tropis® ID has CE Mark and WHO PQS certification for intradermal injections and is commercially available for global immunization programs. For more information or if you are interested in partnering with PharmaJet visit https://www.pharmajet.com or contact PharmaJet here. Follow us on LinkedIn.
About Immuno Cure
Immuno Cure is a clinical-stage biotechnology group based in the Hong Kong Science Park, focusing on research and development of innovative DNA medicines and antibody immunotherapies to fight against cancers, inflammatory and infectious diseases based on its patented PD-1-Enhanced DNA Vaccine, Anti-Δ42PD1 Antibody and Vaccine Delivery Platform.
To learn more about Immuno Cure, please visit: https://www.immunocure.hk/en/
Contacts
Nancy Lillie
Nancy.Lillie@PharmaJet.com
1-888-900-4321 Option 3