Hørsholm, Denmark, 18 July 2025 - ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB (Nasdaq First North Growth Market: EXPRS2, "ExpreS2ion" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a focused portfolio of immunotherapy candidates for infectious diseases and cancer, today acknowledges the announcement by the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund of a new international vaccine development project supported by JPY 800 million (approx. EUR 4.6 million) in funding. The project will develop a novel blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate using the virus-like particle (VLP) platform of AdaptVac ApS, in which ExpreS2ion holds a 34% ownership stake.
The Japanese-European research consortium - being led by the European Vaccines Initiative, comprising leading Japanese and European research institutions, including AdaptVac ApS - has been awarded a grant to develop a next-generation malaria vaccine targeting Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite species globally. The project goal is to fast-track development of a novel virus-like particle-based blood-stage malaria vaccine.
Strategic Relevance to ExpreS2ion
ExpreS2ion's lead clinical-stage pipeline asset, ES2B-C001, is based on the combination of the company's proprietary ExpreS2 protein expression platform and the VLP technology licensed from AdaptVac. The GHIT-funded malaria project is expected to provide further data and visibility for this VLP platform, which could help validate its broader applicability across both infectious diseases and oncology.
"We welcome this recognition of AdaptVac's VLP technology and the support it has received from an established global health fund," said Bent Frandsen, CEO of ExpreS2ion. "The GHIT-funded malaria vaccine candidate may help reinforce the platform's cross-indication adaptability, manufacturing robustness, and commercial relevance across both oncology and infectious disease pipelines."
Platform Impact and Broader Pipeline Implications
While ExpreS2ion is not directly involved in the malaria project's execution, its equity interest in AdaptVac provides exposure to the potential upside of this and other platform-driven projects. Additional data on safety, immunogenicity, and manufacturability generated through the malaria vaccine's development may also support regulatory de-risking for ExpreS2ion's internal programs.
Further Information
The original GHIT Fund announcement is available at: https://www.ghitfund.org/assets/attach/20250717_Investment_PressReleas.pdf
The information was sent for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at the time stated by the Company's news distributor, Cision, at the publication of this press release.
For further information about ExpreS2ion Biotech Holding AB, please contact:
Bent U. Frandsen, CEO
Keith Alexander, CFO
E-mail: investor@expres2ionbio.com
Certified Advisor
Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning AB
About AdaptVac
AdaptVac ApS was founded in 2017 and is today owned by ExpreS2ion Biotechnologies (34%) and NextGen Vaccines (66%), the latter owned by the inventors of the proprietary and clinical Phase III-validated viral capsid Virus-like virus particle (cVLP) platform technology spun out from the University of Copenhagen. The Company aims to accelerate the development of highly efficient therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines within high value segments of oncology, infectious diseases and immunological disorders. Please visit: www.AdaptVac.com for more information.
About ExpreS2ion
ExpreS2ion is a biotechnology company that develops innovative vaccines for a healthier world. We want to transform healthcare by developing novel vaccines, that are life-saving and improving quality of life across the world. ExpreS2ion has developed the unique human clinical Phase III-validated technology platform, ExpreS2, for fast and efficient development and production of the active material in vaccines. The platform, under the brand GlycoX-S2, includes functionally modified glycosylation variants for enhanced immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics. Since 2010, ExpreS2ion has produced more than 500 proteins and virus-like particles (VLPs) in collaboration with leading research institutions and companies. ExpreS2ion develops novel VLP based vaccines in association with AdaptVac ApS, of which ExpreS2ion owns 34%. For additional information, please visit www.expres2ionbio.com.
