Vicebio Secures $100 Million to Develop Innovative Respiratory Virus Vaccines

British biotech company Vicebio has raised $100 million in Series B funding as it advances the development of its novel vaccines targeting multiple respiratory viruses. The funding will fuel ongoing clinical trials of VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine targeting both respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). A key data readout from this Phase 1 trial is expected next year. Vicebio will also use the funds to develop VXB-251, a trivalent vaccine that adds parainfluenza virus 3 (PIV3) to the RSV and hMPV targets.

Both vaccines are based on Vicebio’s proprietary “molecular clamp” technology, which stabilizes viral proteins, making vaccines easier to manufacture, store, and administer. The technology was developed by researchers at the University of Queensland, Australia, and licensed to Vicebio. The company's innovative vaccines are designed to be delivered in ready-to-use, prefilled syringes.

CEO Emmanuel Hanon, Ph.D., highlighted the significance of the funding, emphasizing that Vicebio’s technology could bring next-generation respiratory virus vaccines to the market. With RSV vaccines from major players like GSK, Pfizer, and Moderna already available, Vicebio hopes to differentiate itself by targeting both RSV and hMPV, a niche not yet filled by existing vaccines.

However, competition looms, especially from AstraZeneca, which recently acquired Icosavax and its RSV-hMPV combo vaccine, IVX-A12, that is close to entering Phase 3 trials. As the RSV vaccine market grows more crowded, Vicebio’s success may hinge on its ability to demonstrate the advantages of its molecular clamp technology.