TriLink BioTechnologies and Imperial College London Announce Collaboration to Produce saRNA for Covid-19 Vaccine Development

SAN DIEGO, April 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TriLink BioTechnologies®, a Maravai LifeSciences company and a leader in the production of nucleic acids for research, diagnostics and therapeutics applications, and Imperial College London, a public research university located in the United Kingdom, announced today that they have entered into a partnership in which TriLink will manufacture self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) for COVID-19 vaccine development. The vaccine development program is led by Professor Robin Shattock, Head of Mucosal Infection and Immunity within the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial.

Under this development partnership, TriLink will use its robust RNA manufacturing capabilities to respond to the global need for vaccine support against COVID-19. TriLink is a pioneering manufacturer of GMP RNA (mRNA and saRNA) and can scale production from research to clinical development, allowing for efficient RNA production from a single source.

"As pioneering manufacturers of GMP-grade mRNA, TriLink is committed to working alongside our partners to rapidly respond and prioritize the development of a COVID-19 vaccine," commented Carl Hull, CEO of Maravai LifeSciences. "The health and safety of the global population is the basis of the collaboration with Imperial College London. The opportunity to bring accelerated RNA manufacturing to vaccine development for this global crisis is deeply engrained in our mission to bring the miracles of science to life."

"We are committed to the rapid development of our saRNA vaccine against COVID-19," commented Prof. Robin Shattock. "Our partnership with TriLink is critical to this process and ensures our ability to rapidly move our vaccine into clinical testing. The significant dose sparing nature of saRNA provides capability to rapidly scale the manufacture to millions of doses. We are driven to contribute to the global effort to develop and scale prophylactic vaccines capable of impacting on this pandemic."

The vaccine development by Imperial through Prof. Shattock is focused on the urgent COVID-19 response, and TriLink is poised to deliver saRNA manufacturing capabilities up to a Phase II scale. TriLink has also been awarded an additional partnership with Imperial for the development of two additional virus targets — Marburg and Rabies.

About TriLink BioTechnologies

Founded in 1996, TriLink BioTechnologies is a global leader in the synthesis of custom RNA, DNA, NTPs and oligonucleotides used throughout the genomics industry. TriLink's highly modified nucleic acid products are instrumental in the fields of gene and oligonucleotide therapy, gene editing and molecular diagnostics. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and operates multiple cGMP suites for manufacturing high-quality nucleic acids in a newly built 100,000 square foot facility in San Diego.

About Maravai LifeSciences

Maravai LifeSciences provides reagents and services to life science researchers and biotech partners that enable breakthrough discoveries and improvements in human health. Maravai's businesses focus on DNA and RNA synthesis, bioprocess impurity testing and research immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Maravai is a portfolio company of GTCR, a leading private equity firm focused on investing in growth companies in healthcare, technology and information services and financial services.

About Imperial College London

Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities. The College's 17,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for our society.  Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past – having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics – to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve health and wellbeing, understand the natural world, engineer novel solutions and lead the data revolution. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial's exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees.  Imperial is the UK's most international university, according to Times Higher Education, with academic ties to more than 150 countries. Reuters named the College as the UK's most innovative university because of its exceptional entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry.

SOURCE Maravai LifeSciences

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