Prokarium

Prokarium's stated vision is that all protein vaccines can be delivered orally. Prokarium is based in Keele and London, UK.The firm has developed a proprietary synthetic biology platform, Vaxonella, that enables thermostable microbes to be taken orally, to then produce vaccines from inside the body's own immune cells. Vaxonella has 12-week thermostability at 400C. The only other known vaccine to remain stable at this temperature is the meningitis A vaccine MenAfriVac, but only for up to four days.



In February 2018 , Prokarium completed an investment round, raising $10 million for the clinical development of vaccines against chlamydia, C.difficile and enteric fever, in addition to an expansion for the immune-oncology R&D team. This financing round was led by Riyadh Valley Company, followed by Prokarium's original investor Flerie Invest as well as Korea Investment Partners.



Prokarium's development pipeline also includes a vaccine against plague, being taken into a phase 1 clinical trial under a SBRI contract funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care and managed by Innovate UK, paving the way for new biodefence and epidemic preparedness applications.

Funding

Gant I

On July 25, 2016 Prolarium received a grant worth £2 million from the UK and Mexican governments for developing vaccines for Zika, bacterial diarrhoea, and plague. Dr. Ted Fjallman, the CEO of Prokarium, made the following comment regarding the company's $2 million grant:

We’re delighted to be recognised by some of the brightest minds in vaccine research and to receive contracts from both the UK & Mexican Governments.

Grant II

On March 11, 2013 Prokarium and the University of Birmingham's Institute of Microbiology and Infection won an award for 'advancing the industrial application of synthetic biology' and received a grant worth £0.4 million. The Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the UK's innovation agency, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Council (BBRSC) issued the grant for the development of Prokarium's Vaxonella oral vaccine delivery platform. 

Venture funding

On February 26, 2018 Prokarium completed a venture funding round with $10 million in funding from Riyadh Valley Company (lead investor), Flerie Invest, and Korea Investment Partners. The company plans on using the funding to clinically develop their vaccines against Chlamydia, C.difficile and enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid), and expand their immuno-oncology research and development team. Dr. Ted Fjallman, the CEO of Prokarium, made the following comment regarding the company's $10 million funding round:

The vaccine industry and the synthetic biology community in the UK are thriving and our team has worked hard to play a central role in both, winning several prestigious grants and government contracts. The new investment by RVC, Flerie and KIP is a clear endorsement of Prokarium’s leadership in developing novel, targeted medicines to prevent serious illnesses. We look forward to generating the clinical data for our current vaccines and working with our investors to find new opportunities to partner our technologies globally.