by Frank Vinluan, NCBiotech writer — December 21, 2020 .
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Heat Biologics, a clinical-stage immunotherapies developer, is moving closer to human testing of a vaccine for COVID-19.
The Morrisville-based biotech reported preclinical data showing that its vaccine candidate, ZVX-60, prompted the expression of two proteins key to an immune response. The Heat vaccine also led to the expression of the “spike protein” characteristic of the novel coronavirus.
Heat develops drugs that activate T-cells and gets them to proliferate, mounting an immune response to disease. The company’s technology platform is the basis for drugs that employ gp96, a “heat shock” protein that activates a T-cell immune response. The company’s lead drug candidate, a cell therapy code-named HS-110, is currently in mid-stage testing as a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.