Los Angeles, CA, Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Lundquist Institute (TLI) and its start-up company Vitalex Biosciences (Vitalex) are pleased to announce that the second-generation fungal vaccine candidate known as VXV‑01, which was developed using a proprietary TLI vaccine technology platform, is poised to move forward in development up to and including Phase 1 clinical evaluation — enabled by a major contract awarded to a collaboration  consortium of Vitalex and Appili Therapeutics (TSX: APLI; OTCPi ...

Core Insights - Appili Therapeutics and Vitalex Biosciences have been awarded a contract worth up to US$40 million by the NIAID to develop the VXV-01 vaccine targeting invasive fungal infections [1][2] - The contract includes a 22-month base period valued at US$3.6 million and additional option periods totaling approximately US$36.3 million [2] - Appili has submitted additional funding proposals to the U.S. government, potentially worth up to US$97 million, to support the development of infectious disease products [6][7] Contract Details - The five-year contract consists of a base period of 22 months and twelve option periods, with a total value of approximately US$40 million [2] - Appili will act as the prime contractor, managing subcontractors for various technical tasks related to the vaccine's development [5] - The funding will support the development of VXV-01 through IND submission and completion of Phase 1 clinical trials [2][5] Vaccine Development - VXV-01 aims to protect against serious invasive infections caused by Candida species, which affect nearly 6.5 million people annually and are linked to approximately 3.8 million deaths [3] - The vaccine is a dual-antigen formulation designed to target antigens on broad-spectrum pathogenic fungi, representing a significant advancement in fungal disease prevention [3] - Current treatments for invasive Candida infections are not highly effective, highlighting the need for a vaccine like VXV-01 [4] Company Background - Appili Therapeutics focuses on developing therapies for life-threatening infections and has a diverse pipeline, including an FDA-approved treatment for antimicrobial-resistant infections [8] - The company has successfully raised US$34.9 million in prior government funding, establishing a strong track record in government contracting [7] - Vitalex, the partner in this project, is a start-up focused on developing technologies for hospital-acquired infections and has received over US$10 million in non-dilutive funding from NIAID [9]