Ziphius Vaccines NV products

Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) or replicon RNA has the advantage of having self-replicating features, as the saRNA molecule encodes a viral RNA replicase in addition to the sequence of the protein(s) of interest. Upon cytoplasmic delivery of the saRNA molecule, the viral replicase is translated and generates multiple copies of the original saRNA strands. Consequently, a significantly high amount of a shorter subgenomic RNA encoding the protein(s) of interest is produced. This mechanism leads to high protein expression levels at low doses. The technology thus offers multiple advantages over traditional technologies and non-replicating mRNA technologies.

Proteins are large biological macromolecules that are essential parts of organisms and participate in virtually every process within cells. Proteins are created through the process of gene expression, in which genetic information from DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) in the cell nucleus. Next, the mRNA gets translated by ribosome in the cytoplasm into functional proteins. RNAs are long polymeric nucleic acid molecules composed of four different building bases, the so-called nucleotides. Although RNA is transcribed with only four bases, these can be linked in unique orders and modified in numerous ways as the RNAs mature. Hence, RNA has the capacity to encode an extensive variety of protein(s) of interest, and hence can be used as vehicles to transfer a broad spectrum of disease-specific antigens for prophylactic vaccination against many infectious disease or proteins via gene supplementation therapies for rare genetic disorders.

Ziphius Vaccines is a self-amplifying RNA company developing vaccines for infectious diseases and gene supplementation therapies, aiming to create a new generation of medical tools.