Glycovax Pharma Inc. has commenced large-scale commercial production of CRM197 protein, a critical component in conjugate vaccines that has historically presented cost challenges for vaccine developers. The Montreal-based biopharmaceutical company announced it will market the protein through its subsidiary Espoir Therapeutics Inc. to serve vaccine development companies and research institutions.
Strategic Partnership Enables Efficient Production
The commercialization builds on a collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), which developed a unique and highly efficient production system for CRM197. Glycovax has refined this production process to exceed quality standards for conjugate vaccine components intended for both human and animal administration, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
CRM197 represents one of only a handful of proteins used in conjugate vaccines and has become the most widely utilized due to its invaluable properties. Carbohydrate-based vaccines incorporating CRM197 have been recognized as one of the most important medical innovations of the last century, having saved millions of lives from bacterial infections worldwide.
Addressing Manufacturing Cost Barriers
Despite its critical role in vaccine development, large-scale production of CRM197 at reasonable cost has remained a significant limitation for vaccine developers. This manufacturing bottleneck has constrained the development and accessibility of conjugate vaccines, particularly affecting global health initiatives.
"This agreement with the NRC marks an important milestone for our company," said Dany Valiquette, President and CEO of Glycovax Pharma. "Over the next few months, we will be able to offer CRM197 to vaccine developers, whether pharmaceutical, biotech companies or university research institutions, guaranteeing them a large-scale, cost-effective, GMP-compliant manufacturing process."
Comprehensive Development Support
Beyond protein supply, Glycovax plans to provide comprehensive support to vaccine developers. The company will enable developers to evaluate its CRM197 with their own antigens while providing assistance with regulatory aspects of vaccine development. This integrated approach aims to streamline the path from research to clinical application.
The initiative represents Glycovax Pharma's broader mission in glycoimmunology, where the company specializes in designing and developing semi-synthetic vaccines. Founded in Montreal in 2016, the company focuses on more effective vaccine solutions across viral and bacterial infections and cancer applications.
