Monkeypox Vaccine: Blue Water Biotech Touts Encouraging Preclinical Data From Monkeypox Vaccine Candidate

Blue Water Biotech Inc BWV has released preliminary preclinical data that supports the potential use of its norovirus shell and protrusion (S&P) virus-like particle (VLP) platform for the development of a novel monkeypox vaccine candidate.

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 88,000 monkeypox cases across 111 locations. Additionally, in May 2023, the CDC identified a potential risk of 12 confirmed monkeypox cases in the Chicago area. 

Although there are two approved vaccines for the prevention of monkeypox in the U.S., the limited availability of these vaccines led to an increase in cases during the 2022 outbreak.

In August 2022, Blue Water unveiled plans to explore the creation of its monkeypox vaccine candidate by incorporating monkeypox antigens within the S&P platform. 

Initial data demonstrates that the mice could mount an immune response after vaccination, and the generated antibodies exhibited the ability to neutralize the vaccinia virus. 

The vaccinia virus, responsible for smallpox, belongs to the same virus family as monkeypox and has shown a high degree of cross-reactivity with it.

In November last year, FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization for Roche Holdings AG's RHHBY cobas MPXV for use on the cobas 6800/8800 Systems for the qualitative detection of DNA from the monkeypox virus in lesion swabs collected from individuals suspected of monkeypox infection by their healthcare provider.

Price Action: BWV shares are down 3.31% at $1.17 on the last check Wednesday.