For the development
of effective, safe,
and accessible vaccines
for the greatest number
For the development of effective,
safe and accessible vaccines
for the greatest number
ViroCoVax is a French
biopharmaceutical company
Implanted in Tours, the company’s mission is to develop safe and efficient vaccines in order to protect as many people as possible from viral infectious diseases such as hepatitis C or Zika virus disease.
In order to fulfil its mission, ViroCoVax relies on the know-how and technology developed by the Research Unit « Morphogénèse et Antigénicité du VIH et des virus des Hépatites » (U1269 Université de Tours – INSERM) headed by Professor Philippe Roingeard.
An unmet
medical need
Hepatitis C
A virus responsible of cirrhosis and primary liver cancer
MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED
71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection
A CONSEQUENT SOCIETAL COST
estimated to $5 billions per annum in United States
The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus. It can also be transmitted sexually but this mode of transmission is uncommon.
The infection is mostly asymptomatic, but the virus will progress silently. The liver cells will gradually be replaced by fibrous scare tissue. Then, Fibrosis can progress into cirrhosis and develop into liver cancer.
- 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection
- Between 15% and 30% of those chronically infected will develop cirrhosis.
- Each year, 399,000 people died from hepatitis C
- Each year, 1,75 million new infections in the World including 20-40 000 in the US and 5 000 in France
- 80% of infected people are unaware of it
- The economic cost of hepatitis C is estimated to $5 billions per annum in United States
There is currently no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C. Antiviral medicines are currently available and since 2014, a new generation of antivirals (Direct-Acting Antivirals) was marketed and can cure more than 95% of persons with hepatitis C.
However, the access to diagnostic and the cost of HCV medicines impede access to treatment, not helping to reverse the global epidemic.
Zika
An emerging disease with tragic consequences
CURRENTLY NO TREATMENT OR VACCINE
despite that 70 countries have reported evidence of Zika virus transmission
A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ACCORDING TO WHO BETWEEN 2016-2017
Increasing outbreaks
Zika virus belongs to the same virus family that HCV. The virus is transmitted via mosquitoes bite from Aedes species and by sexual contacts.
First discovered in 1947, Zika virus has spread widely throughout the World, especially in the southern hemisphere but not only since infections have been also reported in the United-States and Europe.
Symptoms are generally mild (fever, rash, muscle and joint pain) and typically last one week.
However, severe complications can occur. Thus, there is growing evidence that Zika virus may also trigger Guillain Barré syndrome (attack of the peripheral nervous system causing pain and paralysis). Moreover, for pregnant women, Zika virus is able to infect the fetus and cause birth defects such as microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.
Thus, during the Zika outbreak, in Brazil, WHO has classified ZIKA disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Now, WHO prepares for a long-term fight.
- 70 countries have reported evidence of Zika virus transmission.
- Increasing outbreaks :
- In 2007, 5 000 infections in French Micronesia,
- In 2013-14, 55 000 infections in French Polynesia,
- In 2016, between 440 000 et 1 500 000 infections in Brazil.
- 2 610 cases of congenital symptoms have been reported during the outbreak in Brazil
- 10 times greater risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome in individuals infected with the Zika virus.
- Aedes mosquitoes are still colonizing the World. Thus, in France, the tiger mosquito that appeared in 2004 affects now 66 departments.
There is currently no treatment or vaccine against Zika virus disease.
An unmet
medical need
Un unmet medical need
Hepatitis C
A virus responsible of cirrhosis and primary liver cancer
MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED
71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection
A CONSEQUENT SOCIETAL COST
estimated to $5 billions per annum in United States
The hepatitis C virus is a bloodborne virus. It can also be transmitted sexually but this mode of transmission is uncommon.
The infection is mostly asymptomatic, but the virus will progress silently. The liver cells will gradually be replaced by fibrous scare tissue. Then, Fibrosis can progress into cirrhosis and develop into liver cancer.
- 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection
- Between 15% and 30% of those chronically infected will develop cirrhosis
- Each year, 399,000 people died from hepatitis C
- Each year, 1,75 million new infections in the World including 20-40 000 in the US and 5 000 in France
- 80% of infected people are unaware of it
- The economic cost of hepatitis C is estimated to $5 billions per annum in United States
However, the access to diagnostic and the cost of HCV medicines impede access to treatment, not helping to reverse the global epidemic.
Zika
CURRENTLY NO TREATMENT OR VACCINE
despite that 70 countries have reported evidence of Zika virus transmission
A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ACCORDING TO WHO BETWEEN 2016-2017
Increasing outbreaks
Zika virus belongs to the same virus family that HCV. The virus is transmitted via mosquitoes bite from Aedes species and by sexual contacts.
First discovered in 1947, Zika virus has spread widely throughout the World, especially in the southern hemisphere but not only since infections have been also reported in the United-States and Europe.
Symptoms are generally mild (fever, rash, muscle and joint pain) and typically last one week.
However, severe complications can occur. Thus, there is growing evidence that Zika virus may also trigger Guillain Barré syndrome (attack of the peripheral nervous system causing pain and paralysis). Moreover, for pregnant women, Zika virus is able to infect the fetus and cause birth defects such as microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.
Thus, during the Zika outbreak, in Brazil, WHO has classified ZIKA disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Now, WHO prepares for a long-term fight.
- 70 countries have reported evidence of Zika virus transmission
- Increasing outbreaks :
- In 2007, 5 000 infections in French Micronesia
- In 2013-14, 55 000 infections in French Polynesia
- In 2016, between 440 000 et 1 500 000 infections in Brazil
- 2 610 cases of congenital symptoms have been reported during the outbreak in Brazil
- Aedes mosquitoes are still colonizing the World. Thus, in France, the tiger mosquito that appeared in 2004 affects now 66 departments
There is currently no treatment or vaccine against Zika virus disease.
Our products
Proof-of-concept
CMC Development
Non clinical development
Clinical development
The ViroCoVax technology
Our technology is currently protected by two patent families
A hepatitis B
vaccine approach
Unlike Hepatitis C and Zika virus Disease, several hepatitis B vaccines are marketed.
The first one of these vaccines has been engineered by Professor Philippe Maupas, at the University of Tours. Since then, new generations of vaccines have been registered and more than one billion doses have been sold.
All these vaccines are based on the ability of its major envelope protein (the S protein, which contains 4 transmembrane domains) to self-assembly into small virus like particles. These particles generate in vaccinated people a strong immune response that will protect them against infections.
An innovative concept for a bivalent vaccine
This bivalent vaccine candidate fully demonstrated its efficiency to prevent hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in animal models.
One of the transmembrane domains of the S protein of VHB was replaced by the full-length envelope proteins from Hepatitis C virus in the appropriate conformation
Meet the team
Édouard Sèche
Holds a PhD in cellular and Molecular Biology. Édouard joined ViroCoVax as CEO.
Previously, he worked as Project Manager at the CNRS and, then, as Chief Scientific Officer at VitamFero, an innovative biotech company whose mission is the engineering and development of veterinary vaccines. He is also one of the co-founders of Acticor Biotech which develops an effective and safe antibody against stroke.
Philippe Roingeard
PharmD, Philippe heads the Unit « Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV and Hepatitis Virus » (Unit 1259 University of Tours – INSERM).
Internationally recognized, his team works on fundamental aspects related to VIH and hepatitis virus but also on applied research projects, in particular the development of innovative vaccines strategies.
Philippe is the author of more than a hundred publication in international scientific journals and the inventor of two patent families. For all his research, Philippe was awarded the Prix de l’Académie de Médecine, the Prix de la Fondation de France and the Grand Prix de l’Académie Nationale de Pharmacie.
They talk about us
Scientific publications
Hepatitis C Virus E1 and E2 Proteins Used as Separate Immunogens Induce Neutralizing Antibodies with Additive Properties.
Various strategies involving the use of hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1 and E2 envelope glycoproteins as immunogens have been developed for prophylactic vaccination against HCV. However, the ideal mode of processing and presenting these immunogens
Chimeric hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) subviral envelope particles induce efficient anti-HCV antibody production in animals pre-immunized with HBV vaccine.
The development of an effective, affordable prophylactic vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a medical priority. The recently described chimeric HBV-HCV subviral envelope particles could potentially be used for this purpose, as they could
Chimeric hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus envelope proteins elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies and constitute a potential bivalent prophylactic vaccine.
The development of a prophylactic vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become an important medical priority, because 3-4 million new HCV infections are thought to occur each year worldwide. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is
Chimeric hepatitis B and C viruses envelope proteins can form subviral particles: implications for the design of new vaccine strategies.
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope protein (S) self-assembles into subviral particles used as commercial vaccines against hepatitis B. These particles are excellent carriers for foreign epitopes, which can be inserted into the external hydrophilic
Our partners
The Unit « Morphogenesis and Antigenicity of HIV and Hepatitis Virus » (Unit 1259 University of Tours – INSERM) is the main scientific partner of ViroCoVax. The Unit owns the technology and know-how used by ViroCoVax.
BPI France supports our entrepreneurial project and has granted us funding through a French Tech Emergence Grant and an Innovation Grant.
ViroCoVax is awardee of the Concours National de Création d’Entreprises Innovantes i-Lab 2018 organized by the French Ministry of Research and BPI France.
Région Centre Val de Loire supports our Research and Development programs by funding the Unit 1259 in the framework of the program “Ambition Recherche et Développement 2020 Biomédicament”.
The University of Tours encourages the creation of companies, especially ViroCoVax. It has granted the company an exclusive worldwide right to exploit the technology.
Recruitment
