The global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines has been dramatically short of hopes and expectations, but right in line with the warnings from skeptics who know the production constraints from traditional vaccines, which leverage established biotechnology for protein generation.
However, there is a new platform driven by an upstart biotech company on the Nasdaq that may have the potential to turn the whole game on its head.
Dyadic International Inc (NASDAQ:DYAI) is beginning testing on its own vaccine and getting ready to offer greater insight into its new approach for production based on its transformative Dyadic C1 Protein Technology, which could offer a path to more rapidly and cheaply vaccinating the whole world and better protecting human life in the months and years ahead.
A Fungus Among Us
DYAI has developed what it believes will be a potentially significant biopharmaceutical gene expression platform based on the fungus Thermothelomyces heterothallica (formerly Myceliophthora thermophila), named C1.
The C1 microorganism, technically a fungal body, enables the development and large-scale manufacture of low-cost proteins and has the potential to be further developed into a safe and efficient expression system that may help speed up the development of biologic vaccines and drugs at commercial scales, while lowering production costs and improving performance at the same time.
DYAI’s patented and proprietary C1 gene expression and recombinant protein production platform was selected by ZAPI as a production host of antigens for the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV).
Proteins associated with vaccine production are produced through a “vector”. The baculovirus–insect cell expression system is a commonly used vector and has been extensively utilized for the production of many recombinant proteins and commercial vaccines.
However, the SBV antigen from C1 produced 300 times greater yields than the SBV antigen from baculovirus and was more stable.
Additionally, the C1 SBV antigen was shown to be safe and very effective (Full Protection) in protecting cattle and mice from the SBV. Based on these results, additional fully funded animal trials are continuing in 2021 with C1 expressed antigens for SBV and RVFV and to generate additional safety and efficacy data.
The Road Show
For investors, DYAI shares could be interesting to the extent the company is able to get the word out on its potentially revolutionary solution to faster, cheaper, and wider vaccine production and distribution leveraging its C1 technology.
That process is already underway, with the company’s “Fireside Chat” on Tuesday, which focused on the potential of C1 protein technology to help meet global health challenges.
However, the road show will continue at the World Vaccine Congress today and then move to the 17th Annual PEGS Boston event next week (Thursday May 13, 2021 2:40 PM -3:00 PM Eastern Time) in the form of a presentation entitled “Making Vaccines in Large Quantities, Flexible Commercial Scales More Affordable – C1 Cells”.
It isn’t easy to break through an established paradigm. But the advantage in this case for DYAI is that this represents established methods with prior results that bear upon the analysis. And it has relevance to a global problem that is deadly serious and at the heart of humanity’s currently most pressing concerns.
