Evaxion Biotech Announces Publication of Study on S. aureus Bacterium in Scientific Reports

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ: EVAX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of AI-driven immunotherapies to improve the lives of patients with cancer and infectious diseases, announced today the publication of a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports, describing a study into the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The paper can be accessed here: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84050-xEvaxion partnered with the research group at the University of Southern Denmark, headed by Associate Professor Thomas E. Andersen, to characterize how pathogen and host respond to infection with S. aureus in human endothelial cells. S. aureus is a leading cause of serious bloodstream infections worldwide, such as infectious endocarditis and sepsis, which have been recognized as difficult to treat and often require intensive and prolonged antibiotic treatment.Lars Wegner, CEO of Evaxion, said: “We are pleased to have this paper published in Scientific Reports in collaboration with the researchers at the University of Southern Denmark. We believe that the findings provide important insights into the S. aureus pathogenesis and may facilitate a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions during invasive infections. We anticipate that these new biological insights will help to inform how Evaxion uses its EDEN platform to develop targeted vaccines to combat S. aureus infections.”The paper in Scientific Reports describes how researchers used the novel approach dual RNA sequencing to perform transcriptomic profiling of the infection cycle. The results showed activation of interferon signaling and antigen presentation by the host during the late stages of infection, while S. aureus was observed to fine-tune its production of virulence factors including toxins and its ability to scavenge iron. Evaxion believes that this may lead to a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions and potentially provide basis for current and future vaccine designs.Evaxion’s EDEN AI platform rapidly identifies novel, highly protective antigens for the use in pathogen-specific prophylactic vaccines against bacteria. It has been designed to rapidly identify those antigens that will trigger a robust protective immune response against almost any bacterial infectious disease.About Evaxion
Evaxion Biotech A/S is a clinical-stage AI-immunology™ platform company decoding the human immune system to discover and develop novel immunotherapies to treat cancer and infectious diseases. Based on its proprietary and scalable AI-immunology core technology, Evaxion is developing a broad pipeline of novel product candidates which currently includes three patient-specific cancer immunotherapies, two of which are in Phase I/IIa clinical development. In addition, Evaxion is advancing a portfolio of vaccine candidates to prevent bacterial and viral infections with one program currently in preclinical development against S. aureus (including Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, or MRSA) induced skin and soft tissue infections.Forward-looking statementThis company announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements, including relating to the terms of the proposed offering and the completion of the proposed offering. Although the Company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, all statements other than statements of historical fact included in this company announcement about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company’s control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by, or including words such as “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “aim,” “intend,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “will,” “can have,” “likely,” “should,” “would,” “could”, and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors. These risks and uncertainties include factors relating to: the initiation, timing, progress, results, and cost of our research and development programs and our current and future pre-clinical studies and clinical trials; our ability to identify research opportunities and discover and develop investigational medicines; the ability and willingness of our third-party collaborators to continue research and development activities relating to our development candidates and investigational medicines; and our and our collaborators’ ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property protection for our proprietary and collaborative product candidates, and the scope of such protection. The preceding list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company’s control that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.