Technology

Sementis is at the leading edge of vaccine development, with the Sementis Copenhagen Vector system currently Australia’s most advanced non-replicating viral vector vaccine platform technology.

To date, the SCV platform system has demonstrated the ability to generate strong, broad, and long lasting protective immune responses in animal models after a single dose of a multi-disease vaccine. This includes the ability to protect against disease in higher order animal challenge models, thus paving the way to enter Phase I clinical trials.

About the platform

The proprietary Sementis SCV system couples the SCV viral vector with a genetically modified commercial manufacturing suspension cell line, providing for an economical and effective vaccine delivery platform.

  • SCV is a fourth-generation viral vector derived from the Copenhagen strain of vaccinia virus. The SCV is generated by targeted deletion of the D13L gene, rendering SCV replication-deficient.

  • SCV is produced within modified Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, a production cell line widely used for scalable manufacture of biologics.

Features of the platform

Safety and Efficacy

The SCV platform system has been specifically designed to preserve and enhance the well-documented potency and effectiveness of vaccinia-based vaccines whilst addressing safety concern.

Manufacturability

The platform combines the genetically engineered, non-replicative SCV viral vector with a genetically modified commercial manufacturing suspension cell line, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. CHO-based manufacturing of the SCV viral vector is a modular and disposable approach that can be easily transferred and economically scaled.

Adaptability

The platform has demonstrated in pre-clinical trials the ability to accommodate large amounts of genetic information and thus is ideally suited to deliver more complex or multiple antigens to the immune system, making it the vector of choice for multi-antigen or multi-disease vaccines.

History of SCV

Origin of vaccination

Vaccinia

In 1796, Edward Jenner vaccinated a boy with cowpox lesion to protect against smallpox. The protective virus was later determined to be vaccinia virus (VACV)

First Generation VACV Vaccines

New York City Board of Health (NYCBH), Lister, Tian Tan, Tashkent, Copenhagen

The Global Smallpox Eradication Campaign saw multiple vaccinia strains used for vaccination worldwide.

Second Generation VACV Vaccines

Lister-RIVM, Lister/CEP, Lister-Elstree-BN NYCBH-CCSV, NYCBH-ACAM2000, NYCBH-Western Reserve

Production of vaccines transitioned from use of live animals to standardised tissue culture systems or embryonated chicken eggs.

Third Generation VACV Vaccines

Lister clone 16m8, Dairen I strain, M65 and Ml0l, Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA)

Safer vaccine strains attenuated through the generation of random mutations and deletions after serial passages in cell culture

Fourth Generation VACV Vaccines

Sementis Copenhagen Vector (SCV)

Replication-deficient and highly immunogenic vaccinia vector due to targeted genetic modifications in the viral genome

Publications