Through this agreement with we will be able to combine our respective technologies to evaluate the efficacy of Aston sci.’s off-the-shelf cancer vaccine candidates, with plans to explore global commercialization based on the research results.

According to the agreement signed with the South Korean company specialized in next generation vaccine development, Aston sci. will provide proprietary cancer antigens optimized for mRNA expression, developed through its AI-powered Th-Vac® platform and already supported by preclinical efficacy data and patent filings and Certest Pharma will manufacture the vaccine candidates using its proprietary ionizable lipid library, mRNA and LNP formulation technologies and will evaluate their anti-tumor efficacy and safety in animal tumor models.

This partnership is undoubtedly a valuable opportunity for both companies.

CSO Wonil Kim, Head of R&D at Aston sci., stated: “Through this collaboration, we have the opportunity to validate whether our shared-antigen cancer vaccine epitopes identified by our advanced Th-Vac® platform can demonstrate therapeutic efficacy when combined with Certest’s state-of-the-art mRNA/LNP platform. The results of this study will serve a foundation for pursuing further research collaborations with companies that possess diverse mRNA and delivery platforms, ultimately paving the way for us to target the global market.”

Juan Martínez, CSO of Certest Pharma, also shared his expectation: “We are delighted to collaborate with Aston sci. on this proof-of-concept project for their innovative cancer vaccine candidates. By combining our mRNA design, advanced IVT (in vitro transcription) process, and LNP technology with Aston’s Th-Vac® antigen discovery platform, we aim to generate preclinical data that will pave the way for next-generation cancer vaccine therapeutics.”

Based on the outcomes of the co-development, both companies plan to explore the feasibility of entering clinical development and forming a strategic commercialization partnership for an off-the-shelf mRNA-based cancer vaccine.