Nasopharyngeal activation of STING pathway protects from SARs-CoV-2 and influenza in animal models

HOUSTON, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc, recognized its academic collaborators at the University of Houston on publication of their pre-clinical research demonstrating that a single dose intranasal NanoSTING protects against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza in hamsters and mice. NanoSTING is a formulation of 2′3′ cyclic GMP–AMP (cGAMP) in lipid nanoparticles designed for efficient uptake across mucosa to activate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. The results show that NanoSTING rapidly and efficiently activates the innate immune system. The research benefits AuraVax's approach using NanoSTING to treat and prevent viral infections.

"An intranasal nanoparticle STING agonist protects against respiratory viruses in animal models," was published in Nature Communications on 18 July 2024. The senior author is Dr. Navin Varadarajan at the University of Houston and Chief Scientific Officer of AuraVax. It was co-authored with collaborators at the Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University.

"These data highlight the safety and efficacy of intranasal NanoSTING to establish a loco-regional immune response against two important seasonal respiratory viruses," said Joseph Sullivan, CEO of AuraVax. "This research demonstrates the therapeutic potential of NanoSTING to treat and prevent viral infections as well as interrupt viral spread. This host-directed therapeutic is agnostic to viral etiology and appears unaffected by mutation escape."

About AuraVax
AuraVax Therapeutics, Inc. (AuraVax) is a privately held biotechnology company commercializing the NanoSTING platform for the treatment and prevention of multiple respiratory infections. Intranasal NanoSTING is a broad-acting, host-directed immunotherapy that safely targets the STING pathway activate innate immunity against respiratory pathogens and disrupt host-to-host transmission.

For more information about AuraVax, please visit: https://www.auravax.com
For additional information about AuraVax, contact Joseph Sullivan at
jsullivan@auravax.com
+1 267-421-9792

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SOURCE AuraVax Therapeutics Inc.