Oragenics, Inc. (OGEN) experienced an increase of 2.89% in the premarket without any specific reason. The last trading session closed at $0.6911 with a decrease of 4.01%.
Oragenics’ SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein
On 30 August 2021, OGEN announced that when administered with several novel intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) adjuvants, the stabilized pre-fusion spike protein trimer generates neutralizing antibodies in mice after immunization against SARS-CoV-2.
The expression platform, which was created with the help of Oragenics’ Canadian collaborator, will speed up the testing of hybrid SARS-CoV-2 antigen candidates, which will begin dosing at the end of this month in a hamster viral challenge trial.
OGEN Enters into Licensing Agreement
Oragenics has announced on 27 July 2021 that the company has reached an agreement with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to explore the fast development of next-generation vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variations. Oragenics now has a platform that can create cell lines for the high-yield synthesis of spike protein antigens for existing and upcoming variations of concern, thanks to NRC technology in conjunction with NIH components present in the Company’s Terra CoV-2 vaccine.
This technology should allow cell lines to be produced in six to eight weeks once the spike gene sequence is available, as opposed to six to nine months for typical cell line manufacturing. The NRC technologies will speed up the evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antigen candidates in preclinical and clinical investigations, thanks to funding from the NRC’s Pandemic Response Challenge Program.
OGEN Announces Changes in Management and Board of Directors
On 3 May 2021, OGEN announces changes in management and board of directors. Dr. Alan Joslyn resigned as Chief Executive Officer, President, and Director of Oragenics, Inc. on May 2, 2021, to explore other opportunities.
Until a new CEO is appointed, the Company will be guided by the Board of Directors, with Dr. Frederick Telling moving from Chairman of the Board to the newly created role of Executive Chairman, starting immediately. To fill the position left by Dr. Joslyn’s departure, Mr. Sullivan, the Company’s current Chief Financial Officer, will serve as temporary principal executive officer.
OGEN Enters into Material Transfer Agreement
It was stated on 9 March 2021 that Biodextris Inc. has engaged in a material transfer agreement for the use of three intranasal mucosal adjuvants in the Terra CoV-2 vaccine against COVID-19, according to the company. Vaccination adjuvants are used to boost the immunogenicity of the vaccine. BDX100, BDX300, and BDX301 are proteosome-based adjuvants made up of proteins and lipopolysaccharides that have increased immune response, manufacturing efficiency, and the ability to administer vaccines intranasally.
The three intranasal adjuvants will be utilized in combination with Oragenics’ antigen vaccine candidate in the preclinical immunological assessment of Terra CoV-2 for the prevention of coronavirus illness induced by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the first agreement.
The findings from the tests using the novel intranasal vaccine candidate might be used to support an Investigational New Drug (“IND”) application to the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and a clinical trial application to Health Canada.
