SaponiQx and InvivoGen Announce Agreement for SaponiQx to Supply Cultured Plant Cell QS-21 Adjuvant

April 17, 2024 at 07:30 AM EDT

SaponiQx to Supply STIMULONcpcQS-21 for InvivoGen to Market

Agenus subsidiary SaponiQx, a leader in saponin-based adjuvant production and discovery, today announced an agreement to supply InvivoGen with STIMULON cultured plant cell (cpc) QS-21. SaponiQx’s STIMULON™ QS-21 is a key adjuvant component in market-leading vaccines for shingles, malaria, and respiratory syncytial virus. CpcQS-21 is derived from a cultured plant cell source, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional QS-21 extracted from a limited supply of tree bark.

Key Highlights:

SaponiQx will manufacture cpcQS-21, under the terms of the agreement, to InvivoGen, who will market the product to labs, academic institutions, and industry partners through its international retail infrastructure.
Scalable Production: With the capability to produce kilograms of material at scale, the SaponiQx platform has the potential to significantly bolster the global vaccine supply chain by making pandemic quantity vaccines more accessible.
Innovation in Adjuvant Discovery: SaponiQx recently successfully kicked off the next phase of their adjuvant discovery program merging synthetic biology with Generative AI-enabled molecular design. With this, SaponiQx will target new saponin adjuvants intended to pair adjuvant and antigens, in a bespoke manner, for fine-tuned vaccine efficacy.

“This agreement is an important step in bringing cpcQS-21 to market for the first time and underscores our ability to produce cpcQS-21 adjuvant without reliance on the traditional tree-bark extract process,” said Rebecca Kurnat, Head of Operations at SaponiQx. “The availability of cpcQS-21 will accelerate the ability of labs, academic institutions, and industry to study the applications and potential of our adjuvant. We look forward to partnering with InvivoGen to pioneer the cpcQS-21 market, making this powerful product broadly available to the adjuvant research community.”

“We are excited to collaborate with SaponiQx, who shares our passion for innovation to accelerate the discovery and development of novel vaccines,” said Eric Perouzel, Chief Operating Officer at InvivoGen. “Helping researchers worldwide to access QS-21 is vital, and it is our responsibility to select a sustainable source of this product. We are very proud to be able to offer this next-generation adjuvant in the near future.”

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, subject to risks and uncertainties, concerning the development of vaccines and adjuvants. Refer to the Risk Factors in Agenus' latest Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for a detailed discussion of these risks.

About SaponiQx

Founded in 2021, SaponiQx, a subsidiary of Agenus Inc., stands at the forefront of saponin-based adjuvant discovery and manufacturing. Its mission is to provide scalable and affordable vaccine adjuvants to enhance global health. Its proprietary adjuvant, STIMULON QS-21, forms an integral part of the AS01 adjuvant used in several leading vaccines. STIMULON is a trademark of Agenus Inc., the parent company of SaponiQx Inc.