Glycovax Pharma, the National Research Council of Canada and the Université de Montréal, join forces to develop an innovative vaccine against the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa), made possible through CQDM's financial support

Fighting respiratory diseases, particularly in hospitals

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Glycovax Pharma today announced a strategic collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Université de Montréal to develop a glycoconjugate vaccine against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infections. Funding for this project is made possible by a $467,661 grant from the Government of Quebec awarded by CQDM, as well as financial support from other partners.

Pa is an opportunistic bacterium responsible for respiratory infections in humans. Highly prone to antibiotic resistance, Pa infections are a leading cause of hospital-acquired diseases and sometimes fatal infections among patients with cystic fibrosis.

Currently, no vaccine exists to prevent Pa infections. After years of research, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) identified a unique antigen present in the polysaccharide (sugar) capsule of most Pa strains. This discovery enabled the design of a vaccine capable of inducing an immune response with bactericidal activity against this bacterium, as observed in initial NRC R&D efficacy studies.

After securing a licence from the NRC for this antigen, Glycovax leveraged its GlycoForge platform to optimize and manufacture the GVX-PA-01 vaccine, integrating:

• CRM-197 carrier protein, manufactured by Glycovax to ensure industrial reproducibility.
• SLA, an innovative adjuvant developed by the NRC and manufactured by Glycovax, known for stimulating strong and durable immune responses.

Glycovax is now advancing preclinical development of GVX-PA-01 vaccine in collaboration with the NRC and the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. This project is part of the Quebec government's investment of over $33 million to support 91 collaborative research and development projects led by industrial research sector clusters (RSRI). For more information, click here.

Glycovax will continue GVX-PA-01 development through to human clinical trials. The availability of a vaccine against Pa for patients with cystic fibrosis and hospitalized individuals at risk of nosocomial infections would represent a major public health breakthrough in Canada and worldwide.

About the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Université de Montréal, located in Saint-Hyacinthe, is the only French-speaking veterinary faculty in the Americas and one of five in Canada. Fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), it trains over 650 students annually and is home to the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, which provides unique expertise in animal care in Quebec. It also hosts the CRIPA, a research center dedicated to combating infectious diseases in swine and poultry production. For more information: fmv.umontreal.ca; CRIPA.

About CQDM

Biopharma Innovation Facilitator      
CQDM is a not-for-profit biopharmaceutical research consortium whose mission is to support and facilitate collaborative multi-stakeholder research and development aimed at accelerating the translation or transformation of innovative technologies into solutions to unmet medical needs, while generating significant benefits for the Quebec and Canadian economy. For more information, consult our website  cqdm.org/ and join us on LinkedIn. 

About Glycovax Pharma Inc.
Founded in Montréal, Canada, in 2016, Glycovax Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the design and development of glycoconjugate vaccines. With its unique expertise in glyco-immunology, Glycovax Pharma is at the forefront of more effective vaccine solutions, particularly in the fields of viral and bacterial infections and cancer. For more information, visit: www.glycovax.com.

SOURCE Glycovax Pharma Inc