TriLink BioTechnologies® Extends Global Support of Covid-19 Vaccine Development into APAC Region with the Chula Vaccine Research Center (Chula VRC), Bangkok
TriLink enables Chula VRC to take its Covid-19 vaccine into a First in Human (FIH) phase 1 clinical trial in Thailand with mRNA manufacturing process development and its proprietary mRNA capping technology, ushering a much-needed vaccine into economically developing countries
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TriLink BioTechnologies (“TriLink”), a Maravai LifeSciences company (Nasdaq: MRVI) and a leader in the production of nucleic acids for research, diagnostics and therapeutics applications, has enabled Chula Vaccine Research Center, at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (Chula VRC), Bangkok, to deliver an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine that has been approved for an immediate FIH phase 1 clinical trial in Thailand. Building on its successful partnerships in the development of effective mRNA Covid-19 vaccines currently in use worldwide, TriLink was instrumental in the Chula VRC mRNA Covid-19 vaccine’s mRNA manufacturing process development and first clinical batch manufacturing of the drug substance. TriLink will also continue to support manufacturing of the vaccine through the use of its CleanCap® mRNA capping technology for mRNA synthesis.
The ChulaCov19 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine Development Program aims to expand access to an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in Thailand and other low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia. The vaccine is also intended to provide a booster for people who have been vaccinated with other previous vaccines to enhance their protection against both the wild-type virus and new variants.
“TriLink is proud to have collaborated with ChulaVRC on this critical Covid-19 vaccine, and we look forward to continuing to support them through their clinical trials and manufacturing scale up efforts,” said Brian Neel, Chief Operating Officer of TriLink BioTechnologies. “We are committed to do our part to bring expanded access to Covid-19 vaccines to populations in need across the globe and continue to develop partnerships across the world in support of this important work.”
Kiat Ruxrungtham, Director, ChulaVRC Covid-19 Vaccine Development Program, stated: “It is our great pleasure to partner with the TriLink team in fighting this pandemic. This collaboration will not only help us combat Covid-19, it will also support our readiness to make vaccines against any new variants of concern or any pandemic to come in a much timelier manner, for LMICs in particular.”
The TriLink-ChulaVRC partnership was made possible through Dr. Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, an infectious disease expert at University of Pennsylvania Medicine and one of the primary researchers responsible for breakthrough components of other mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics being manufactured and used globally.
“Our collaboration with Professor Kiat at Chula VRC is making mRNA vaccine technology accessible to underserved countries in this region to fight the pandemic. This strong partnership will also extend beyond Covid-19 to other needed vaccines, for both infectious diseases and other non-communicable diseases in the near future,” commented Dr. Weissman.
In addition to Chula VRC and its relationships in the United States and EMEA, TriLink is currently in discussions to supply CleanCap and CleanCap mRNA to other organizations within China, Japan and other nations across the Asia-Pacific region who are seeking to develop successful mRNA Covid-19 vaccines.
TriLink’s Brian Neel further added that, “As pioneering manufacturers of GMP-grade mRNA, TriLink has been instrumental in the fight against Covid-19. We stand at the ready with the experience, expertise, and scalable resources to empower partners in every geography. As we extend our services, we believe we can help stem the further impact of this pandemic.”
About TriLink BioTechnologies
TriLink BioTechnologies, part of Maravai LifeSciences, is a CDMO helping life science leaders and innovators overcome challenges in the synthesis and scale-up of nucleic acids, NTPs and mRNA capping analogs with scale-up expertise and unique mRNA production capabilities, including its proprietary CleanCap® mRNA capping technology. TriLink continues to expand its cGMP and general manufacturing capacity at its new global headquarters to support mRNA, oligonucleotide & plasmid therapeutic, vaccine and diagnostic customers. www.trilinkbiotech.com
About Maravai LifeSciences
Maravai is a leading life sciences company providing critical products to enable the development of drug therapies, diagnostics, novel vaccines and support research on human diseases. Maravai's companies are leaders in providing products and services in the fields of nucleic acid synthesis, bioprocess impurity detection and analysis, and protein labeling and detection to many of the world's leading biopharmaceutical, vaccine, diagnostics, and cell and gene therapy companies.
For more information about Maravai LifeSciences, visit www.maravai.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements constitute forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding Chula VRC’s continued use of CleanCap, the expansion of access to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and their ability to enhance protection against both the wild-type virus and new variants, our ability to develop new partnerships, the ability of our partners to address new pandemics in a timely manner or develop new vaccines to address both infectious disease and other non-communicable diseases in the near future, and our ability to help stem the further impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, constitute forward-looking statements and are identified by words like “aim,” “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seek,” “anticipate,” or “could” and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation and uncertainties related to the level of demand for our products and services, continued validation of the safety and effectiveness of our technology, new scientific developments and competition from other products. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in greater detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as well as other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements, and therefore you should not rely upon them. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views and we do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof except as required by law.
Contact Information: Maravai LifeSciences Media Contact: Sara Michelmore MacDougall +1 781-235-3060 maravai@macbiocom.com Investor Contact: Deb Hart Maravai LifeSciences + 1 858-988-5917 ir@maravai.com Chula VRC Kiat Ruxrungtham, Professor of Medicine, Chula VRC, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand kiat.r@chula.ac.th
Released August 2, 2021