1) How and when did your organization start, and where are you located?
The Institute for Translational Vaccinology – Intravacc – has its origin in the Netherlands Vaccine Institute and operates under the Dutch Ministry of Health. Already since 1903 there have been vaccine production facilities functioning in the Utrecht Area, as of 1950 situated on the current site. A vaccine against rabies based on horse serum lay at the foundation of our later success. Fast forward to the seventies, at our site in Bilthoven our predecessors developed the renowned microcarrier technology, allowing for optimal growth of the Vero cell line, which is still very commonly used in vaccine production. In 2012 the production facilities of NVI were sold to Serum Institue of India, and as of 2013 the research and development branch of NVI is known as Intravacc. The development of new and improved vaccines, alternative delivery forms, translational research and technology transfers are among our expertise. Intravacc employs over 150 people and is located at the Bilthoven Science Park, a hub where we can take full advantage of research facilities and nearby universities.
2) What are the most critical problems in vaccine/immunotherapeutics development in your field of interest?
The most critical problem in vaccine development is the translation of an interesting lead into a concept vaccine that is of value to vaccine producers and interesting for them to invest in. This so called ‘valley of death’ exists because this translational research is very costly and there is great uncertainty in that stage whether the product will make it to the market. To survive the valley of death – besides sufficient financial funds - a highly trained, specialized workforce in combination with appropriate facilities is required. At Intravacc it is our core business to develop vaccine concepts to a stage where they have more economic value and where the uncertainty has become a calculable risk, thus linking academia and basic research to industry. Given our position in the vaccine development chain, we are constantly scouting the vaccine development landscape to add value to novel vaccine concepts while simultaneously looking for partners during late clinical development stages.
3) What is the mission of your organization?
The mission of our organization is ‘Vaccines for all’. One way to increase the access to vaccines is through development of new vaccines or improving existing vaccines. For example, the current acellular vaccines for whooping cough does not result in sufficient levels of immunity on the longer term. Using our outer membrane vesicle platform technology we are developing a new type of vaccine that gives a broader protection. Furthermore, reduction of the cost of existing vaccines will also improve accessibility. As part of the endgame in polio eradication and the related increasing demand for inactivated polio vaccines, Intravacc developed a robust production process for an inactivated polio vaccine, derived from the attenuated Sabin strain. In collaboration with WHO we have transferred the Sabin inactivated polio vaccine production process to 5 vaccine producers located in Asia. By increasing the number of polio vaccine manufacturers, especially in the lower and middle income countries, and through optimization of the production process, the cost of vaccines can be reduced, thereby leading to improved access.
4) How does your organization facilitate vaccine/immunotherapeutics development?
We operate in the core of the vaccine development chain, thereby bridging the gap between lead and late clinical studies. At Intravacc we have the facilities, permits and experience to guide concepts toward patients. At Intravacc it is possible to outsource the complete development of your product including formulation, process development, preclinical data, clinical testing, safety and efficacy data. This combination of services, know-how and facilities allows to add significant economic value to vaccine concepts. Our unique relation with WHO, BMGF and the Dutch government and connections with universities, knowledge institutes and small medium enterprises on the one hand as well as large pharmaceutical companies on the other hand allows us to connect public and private interests.
5) How does your organization engage national and international resources committed to vaccine/immunotherapy research?
We perform R&D, product development and facilitate services through collaborations, ranging from universities and governments to multinational pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Our network allows us to participate in consortia to apply for grant calls such as the Innovative Medicines Initiative and other Horizon2020 calls.
6) What important partnerships does your organization have?
As we operate in the middle of the vaccine development chain, partnerships are crucial to ensure viability. Intravacc is priviliged to work with several prominent partners. We scout for talent by collaborating with universities, giving their PhD-researchers the opportunity to perform their studies at our facilities. On an international level we participate in European initiatives such as the Horizon 2020 program. Furthermore, we have combined forces with, among others, the BMGF and WHO to eradicate polio. Via the developing countries vaccine manufacturers network, we were able to connect to local vaccine manufacturers. As of latest, we are participating in the Joint Coordination Group of CEPI. This group will coordinate vaccine activities from the different partners. Ultimately, our most important partnership is with the Dutch government, as they set out guidelines in our quest to overcome unmet medical needs. For example, the government has given us the task to develop a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus for which currently no vaccine is available. A similar task has been provided by the government in the development of a whooping cough vaccine.
7) What is your position in the organization?
Since January 2017 I am–after a long career in vaccine manufacturing–CEO of Intravacc.
8) What “highlights” would you select in recent vaccine/immunotherapy research, development, or use?
Within Intravacc we focus among others on viral and bacterial vaccines. In the field of bacterial vaccines we have proprietary knowhow and a strong IP position on the so called OMVs vaccines, which we use for meningococcal B vaccine development. We also use our OMVs as a platform to present antigens from other (bacterial and non-bacterial) diseases. Our viral vaccine technology is based on Vero Cells, which we use as a production platform for viral vaccines such as Sabin inactivated Polio vaccine and Enteroviruses.
One of Intravacc's most successful features is our track-record in Hib and sIPV technology transfer. For Hib we transferred a production process to partners, and for sIPV we have transferred to 5 partners our production process. Besides vaccine research and process/product development I also want to emphasize the delivery program which runs at Intravacc. Nowadays, most vaccines are administered by intramuscular or subcutaneous route and require a cold chain storage. At Intravacc we are working on alternative delivery strategies to circumvent the cold chain.
9) What areas or topics does your organization currently focus on?
Besides process development, and alternative delivery forms, I would like to mention 2 vaccine concepts we are working on. We are developing a live attenuated RSV vaccine concept using our vero-cell platform. Preliminary studies show promising results and we are preparing for Phase 1 clinical studies. Using our bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicle technology, we focus on pertussis and multi-drug resistant bacteria. In addition, this platform can be used for non-bacterial vaccines and here we focus on emerging diseases. Often overlooked, but nevertheless very important we strive to reduce the use of animal testing by actively promoting 3R policies (refinement, reduction and replacement).
10) What are your main goals for the next 5 years?
Intravacc will continue to strive to bridge the gap between vaccine concept and Phase 1/2B clinical studies. I am confident that if we strengthen our worldwide strategic alliances, Intravacc can continue to play a major role in vaccine development similarly as it has done over the past century.
For more information visit www.intravacc.nl