Dynavax and CEPI Announce Collaboration to Support Global Effort to Develop a Vaccine for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Dynavax to provide CpG 1018, the adjuvant contained in U.S. FDA-approved HEPLISAV-B vaccine, to support the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines

EMERYVILLE, Calif., March 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel vaccines, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) today announced a collaboration supporting the global effort to develop a vaccine to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19). Dynavax will make the Company’s proprietary toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist adjuvant, CpG 1018^TM, available for the development of effective vaccines against COVID-19.

CpG 1018 is the adjuvant used in HEPLISAV-B [Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant), Adjuvanted], an adult hepatitis B vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dynavax developed CpG 1018 to provide an increased vaccine immune response, which has been demonstrated in HEPLISAV-B. CpG 1018 provides a well‑developed technology and a significant safety database, potentially accelerating the development and large-scale manufacturing of a COVID-19 vaccine.

“Dynavax’s mission is to develop and commercialize innovative vaccines to prevent disease and support patients,” commented Ryan Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of Dynavax. “We are proud to support CEPI’s efforts to address this global public health emergency with our advanced adjuvant technology.”

As previously announced, the CEPI initiative to develop a vaccine to prevent COVID-19 led to the collaboration between Dynavax and the University of Queensland, Australia.  CEPI and Dynavax will work together to identify and coordinate engagements with entities around the world working on COVID-19 vaccines. The focus of this collaboration is to identify programs that could benefit from combination with CPG 1018 to provide a more rapid or robust immune response.

About Dynavax
Dynavax is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing novel vaccines. The Company launched its first commercial product, HEPLISAV-B [Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant), Adjuvanted], in February 2018, following U.S. FDA approval for prevention of infection caused by all known subtypes of hepatitis B virus in adults age 18 years and older.  Dynavax is also advancing CpG 1018 as a premier vaccine adjuvant through research collaborations and partnerships.  For more information, visit www.dynavax.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.