Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a highly evasive bacterium that has become the leading cause of serious and sometimes fatal bacterial infections throughout the world. What makes this microorganism so dangerous is that while it exists as a part of our normal microbiome, it can quickly become pathogenic once it gains access into the body, even through minor skin injuries. This pathogen has evolved in a number of ways to evade the innate and adaptive immune response, and commonly resists antimicrobial therapies, enabling the bacteria to cause serious recurrent infections. These elusive measures have allowed S. aureus to be one of the leading causes of infectious disease in hospitalized patients and more recently from within the community.

Prior vaccines developed for S. aureus, which were composed of surface antigens, failed clinically. At IBV, we are taking a different, more promising approach, and have developed IBT-V02, the first entirely toxoid-based vaccine designed to protect against infection.

Staphylococcal toxins play a critical role in S. aureus pathogenesis by, 1) destroying the key immune cells that are needed to fight the infection, 2) destroying the tissue barriers that help contain the infection and prevent dissemination of the bacteria, and, 3) derailing the development of an effective T cell response.

IBV IBV has developed a strong IP portfolio around rationally-designed toxoids that while maintaining immunogenicity, are devoid of any toxicity. IBT-V02 is a multicomponent vaccine comprising toxoids for pore-forming toxins and superantigens, and is currently completing GMP manufacturing and IND-enabling studies and is expected to enter clinical trials in 2022.

IBT-V02 is supported by The National Institutes of Health, CARB-X, and Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund.