Heat Biologics, University of Miami deal

Heat Biologics and the university partnered to develop vaccines to treat Zika, HIV, West Nile, dengue and yellow fever virus infections based on Heat’s heat shock 90 kDa protein beta 1 (Hsp90B1; GP96; GRP94) vaccine platform. The partners plan to genetically modify cells to stimulate release of GP96 to activate dendritic cells and induce an immune response, which can be directed against cancer or infectious diseases. Heat said that basic research for the Zika vaccine will be conducted by the university and Heat will perform translational work. Heat also said that using GP96 to induce an immune response in the placenta could allow the partners to develop the first vaccine to provide fetal protection against Zika. ...