Rokote Laboratories signs an agreement with 3PBIOVIAN for GMP manufacturing of adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine

Rokote Laboratories Finland Ltd. has selected 3PBIOVIAN as their CDMO partner for GMP manufacturing of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) vector-based candidate expressing a modified spike protein of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

3PBIOVIAN will provide Rokote Laboratories with Drug Substance and Drug Product to bring the intranasal FINCoVac 2.1 vaccine into Phase I clinical studies. The FINCoVac 2.1 vaccine aims to elicit a strong mucosal immune response in the nasopharyngeal cells, which serve as the primary entry point for the SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). Such mucosal immunity could potentially prevent both infection and transmission.

The agreement covers GMP manufacturing of the Ad5 vector for Phase I clinical studies using 3PBIOVIAN’s standard process at facilities located in Turku, Finland. Due to Rokote Laboratories’ urgent needs, the program advanced to a GMP batch exceptionally fast, leveraging 3PBIOVIAN's extensive adenovirus-based process experience.

Rokote Laboratories, a Finnish biotech company, specializes in advanced vaccine technologies, particularly intranasal vaccines inducing mucosal immunity. Leveraging advanced adenoviral vector technologies, they aim to enhance vaccine efficacy and safety. In response to COVID-19 pandemic, they rapidly developed a nasal spray vaccine as an easy-to-administer, non-invasive option alongside existing vaccines.


Erkko Ylösmäki, CEO at Rokote Laboratories

”We are pleased to partner with 3PBIOVIAN for the manufacturing of our next-generation intranasal COVID-19 vaccine. The ability to use 3PBIOVIAN’s standard process for rapid GMP batch production, along with their extensive experience with adenovirus-based processes, made 3PBIOVIAN the ideal CDMO partner. We are excited to start this collaboration and hope that together we can further advance Finnish vaccine development.”

 

Antti Nieminen, Deputy CEO at 3PBIOVIAN

“We are delighted that Rokote Laboratories has selected us as a partner for the manufacturing of their Adenovirus-based innovative drug candidate. Our company has about two-decade-long history in developing viral vector processes and GMP-manufacturing of Adenoviruses, and we are happy to have a role in the journey of this novel second-generation coronavirus vaccine to clinical trials.”