VaxThera and Codagenix Partner to Advance a Next Generation Yellow Fever Vaccine
VaxThera will further advance Syn17D-YF, the world's first fully synthetic yellow fever vaccine candidate designed for modern cell-culture manufacturing
FARMINGDALE, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- VaxThera S.A.S., a Colombian biotechnology company developing and manufacturing vaccines and advanced biological products ("VaxThera") and Codagenix Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering synthetic biology-based vaccines ("Codagenix"), today announced an agreement on terms for VaxThera to exclusively license Codagenix's yellow fever vaccine candidate, Syn17D-YF (CDX-470). Under the agreement, VaxThera plans to advance Syn17D-YF through manufacturing, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory registration, and commercialization in selected global markets.
A case for modernizing a time-tested vaccine. For decades, yellow fever vaccines have protected populations worldwide. Yet current vaccines on the market are produced using embryonated chicken eggs, a methodology dating back to the 1930s that can be a hindrance when a rapid scale up of supply is needed in the face of an outbreak or simply to address unmet demand.
Codagenix developed Syn17D-YF through its proprietary synthetic biology technology. Syn17D-YF is a fully synthetic DNA virus based on the genome sequence of yellow fever virus vaccine strain 17D-204. Syn17D-YF corresponds in genome sequence to the FDA authorized vaccine strain YF-VAX® (Sanofi Pasteur; Genbank accession # X503529) as well as the Robert Koch Institute 17D vaccine strain (Stock et al., 20121; GenBank accession # JN628279.1) and the WHO 17D Reference Lot 168-73.
Syn17D-YF has been tested to be genetically stable and can be produced to high yields in modern cell culture without risk of mutation to pathogenicity. Production in cell culture also supports facile vaccine virus recovery and purification leading to fewer excipient host proteins and DNA. Until now, attempts to modernize manufacture of derivative strains of 17D-204 have been frustrated by the accumulation of pathogenic mutations during cell culture passages (Holbrook et al., 20002). All current licensed yellow fever vaccines, originating from the wild-type strain Asibi or 17D-204 in the1930's, are manufactured in embryonated chicken eggs, leading to regular vaccine shortages worldwide and a poor reactogenicity profile contributed likely from egg- and process-related impurities (Zurbia-Flores et al., 20213).
"Yellow fever is part of the history of Latin America, but we should not let vaccine shortages define its future," said Professor Jorge Osório, CEO of VaxThera. "This is what we set out to do when we built VaxThera: put our science and advanced manufacturing to work in Colombia on challenges that go well beyond our borders."
From Colombia to the world. Founded five years ago with the support of Grupo SURA, VaxThera has built in Medellín an integrated biotechnology ecosystem combining research and development, process development, quality control, and advanced manufacturing. The company is advancing multiple human vaccine programs and has established a modern biologics manufacturing facility designed under international GMP standards, with the potential to produce more than 150 million doses annually. Through this agreement, VaxThera will bring these capabilities to the further development of Syn17D-YF, with the ambition of contributing additional manufacturing capacity and resilience to the global yellow fever vaccine supply.
"Syn17D-YF modernizes the manufacturing of a proven and needed vaccine and VaxThera provides the vision, capabilities and regional position required to advance it toward global impact," said Dr. Jeffrey Fu, Chief Business Officer, Codagenix.
Endemic populations in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa and travelers around the world would benefit from new, less reactogenic, alternatives and robust supply chain for yellow fever vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a long-term and global strategy to Eliminate Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE)4 to protect at-risk populations, prevent international spread and contain outbreaks rapidly (2017-2026) whose hallmark is to ensure through availability of accessible, affordable vaccines. In 2025 the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert regarding yellow fever in the Americas due to recent increase in confirmed human cases in several countries in the region (PAHO, 20255).
The parties look forward to working towards strengthening global public health efforts to address yellow fever disease in endemic and non-endemic regions by solving for shortages and adding resilience to the yellow fever vaccine supply chain.
About Codagenix Inc.
Codagenix is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leading a new era of live vaccines and viral therapeutics. The company's breakthrough platform brings together live-attenuated virus design with cutting-edge codon deoptimization for powerful synthetic biology-based solutions to take on our biggest threats in infectious disease, cancer and animal health. Codagenix was founded based on technology developed in the laboratory of National Academy of Science member Dr. Eckard Wimmer at Stony Brook University; is supported by Adjuvant Capital, TopSpin Partners, and Euclidean Capital. Codagenix has ongoing research and license programs with various federal agencies. For more information, visit codagenix.com.
About VaxThera S.A.S.
VaxThera is an integrated biotechnology company that combines innovation, advanced manufacturing, strategic partnerships, and healthcare delivery to accelerate access to biologics, personalized and precision medicine, and strengthen regional health security across Latin America. Founded in Colombia with the support of Grupo SURA, VaxThera has built an integrated R&D and manufacturing ecosystem in Medellín and is advancing a growing portfolio of human vaccines and biological medicines. VaxThera's vision is to transform scientific innovation into solutions that reach patients, while positioning Colombia as a biotechnology hub for Latin America and a strategic partner for global health. For more information, visit vaxthera.com.
__________________________
1 NK Stock et al. Vaccine. 2012;30(6):989.
2 MR Holbrook, L Li, MT Suderman, H Wang, AD Barrett. Virus Res. 2000;69(1):31.
3 GM Zurbia-Flores, CS Rollier, A Reyes-Sandoval. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2021;18(1):1895644.
4 World Health Organization Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) 2017-2026.
SOURCE Codagenix Inc.
Share this article