POP Biotechnologies has secured a $2.46 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance development of a groundbreaking "mosaic" active immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease that simultaneously targets multiple pathogenic proteins associated with the neurodegenerative disorder.
The Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant will fund the project "Mosaic Display of Multivalent Tau and A-Beta peptides on Immunogenic SNAP Liposomes," which leverages the Buffalo-based company's proprietary spontaneous nanoliposome antigen particle (SNAP) platform to create an immunotherapy targeting both amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and phospho-tau neurofibrillary tangles.
Dual-Target Approach Addresses Complex Disease Pathology
The innovative technology displays Aβ and phospho-tau targets in a mosaic-like fashion on nanoparticle surfaces, enabling the body's immune system to generate antibodies against both pathogenic proteins simultaneously. This multipronged strategy aims to overcome limitations of current single-target treatments by addressing the complex pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
"By targeting multiple components of Alzheimer's pathology at once, we aim to achieve a level of protection that is not possible with traditional single-target immunotherapies," said Dr. Chunling Dai, co-investigator and Alzheimer's disease expert at the New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities.
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of Aβ plaques and phospho-tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. The progressive neurodegenerative disorder affects over 55 million people worldwide, representing an estimated $19.3 billion market opportunity with a 13% compound annual growth rate.
Validated Platform Technology
The SNAP platform underlying the Alzheimer's immunotherapy has demonstrated substantial clinical validation across multiple therapeutic areas. The technology has successfully completed a Phase 3 clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine and currently has ongoing Phase 1 trials for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and shingles vaccines.
"This award provides significant validation of our approach and great opportunity to advance our mosaic SNAP active immunotherapy," said Dr. Wei-Chiao Huang, Director of Vaccine Development at POP Biotechnologies.
Collaborative Development Initiative
The NIH-funded project represents a collaborative effort between POP Biotechnologies, Dr. Dai's team at the New York State Institute for Basic Research, and investigators at the University of Puerto Rico. Under the grant, POP BIO will scale, characterize, and validate the immunotherapy candidate with the goal of advancing toward human trials.
The Alzheimer's immunotherapy program is part of a broader development initiative involving EuPOP Life Sciences, a joint venture between POP Biotechnologies and South Korea-based EuBiologics Co., Ltd. The partnership combines POP BIO's SNAP nanoliposome platform with EuBiologics' complementary vaccine adjuvant technology to advance the Alzheimer's vaccine candidate.
Technology Platform Capabilities
POP Biotechnologies' SNAP technology enables rapid manufacture of highly immunogenic particle-based vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions. The company holds exclusive licensing rights to the underlying intellectual property from The Research Foundation for The State University of New York, developed by company co-founder Dr. Jonathan Lovell at SUNY Buffalo.
The research is supported by the National Institute on Aging under Award Number 2R42AG082620-03, marking continued federal investment in innovative approaches to address the growing burden of Alzheimer's disease.
