Finnish vaccine development company Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy is pleased to announce the appointment of its Research and Development Director, Erkko Ylösmäki, as the new CEO, effective January 1, 2024. The company plans to initiate clinical trials for its vaccine by the end of summer 2024, at the earliest. Current CEO, PhD (Pharm) Tuija Keinonen, will continue to serve as an advisor to the board and management. "Rokote Laboratories is now operating at full capacity. Over the past two years, the company has achieved numerous successes, including patent applications, preclinical studies, and vaccine production. It is ready to commence clinical trials as soon as the required vaccine batch is produced by our contract manufacturer. With the significant groundwork completed and critical milestones achieved, it is an excellent time to pass the reins to Erkko, a key figure in the company since its inception. Our collaboration has been highly fruitful, and I have complete confidence in his professional and scientific leadership," says Tuija Keinonen. "I am honored to continue the remarkable work initiated by Tuija. The organization that Rokote Laboratories is today, is due to her visionary leadership. I am grateful for the invaluable guidance and mentorship she has provided. As we look to the future, I have full confidence in our team's capabilities and commitment to advancing vaccine development," comments Erkko Ylösmäki, the current Research and Development Director. The board of Rokote Laboratories expresses satisfaction that the new CEO was found internally. "We are extremely grateful to Tuija for her valuable work in building the foundation of the company and leading it to a stage where the new CEO can seamlessly continue. It is important that Tuija is not leaving the company entirely but will serve as an advisor to our board. Simultaneously, we warmly welcome Erkko to his new role. Rokote Laboratories will continue to focus on developing innovative vaccines against infectious diseases. We look forward with confidence to seeing where Rokote Laboratories will go under Erkko's leadership," says Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, Chairman of the board. Clinical trials are expected to start by the end of summer 2024 at the earliestChallenges in vaccine production have delayed the initiation of clinical trials, but at the same time, adjustments have been made to the clinical trial protocol. It now includes a previously unvaccinated group, meaning that Rokote Laboratories' vaccine will also be investigated as a primary vaccine.
The ongoing global health situation due to the coronavirus remains a significant threat, particularly for at-risk populations. Rokote Laboratories aims to be one of the most innovative players in global vaccine development. The company emphasizes its unique position as the only pharmaceutical company in Europe actively developing a nasal coronavirus vaccine. Supported by a robust foundation, expertise, and collaborative networks, the company is well-positioned to shape the future of vaccine development. Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy is a Finnish company developing a vaccine against the coronavirus. The vaccine is based on gene transfer technology developed by Seppo Ylä-Herttuala's research group, which has already been successfully used in several clinical trials for gene therapy to treat cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In the summer of 2021, the company secured 9 million euros in funding from Ferring Ventures SA, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and Business Finland for the development of a nasal coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine is based on research conducted at the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland. The research collaboration has involved Professor of Virology Kalle Saksela, Academician Kari Alitalo, Academy Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, and Pasi Kemppainen, MSc (Technology). Both universities are also shareholders in Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy. Contact Information: Chairman of the Board Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, University of Eastern Finland seppo.ylaherttuala@uef.fi tel. +358 40 355 2075 CEO Tuija Keinonen, Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy tuija.keinonen@rokote.com tel. +358 50 555 1541 R&D Director (CEO starting from January 1, 2024) Erkko Ylösmäki, Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy erkko.ylosmaki@rokote.com tel. +358 40 583 6604
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The European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) board honors Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala for his exceptional career achievements and has selected him as the winner of the 2023 ESGCT Outstanding Achievement Award. The award is the most prestigious award conferred by the ESGCT.
Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala's outstanding contributions to the field of gene therapy have had a profound impact on both basic science and potential human therapies. He has not only served as President of the ESGCT but has also been involved in various significant roles, such as board membership with the European Society of Cardiology and chairing the Biocenter of Kuopio and EU-EATRIS national network. Professor Ylä-Herttuala has made pioneering contributions to cardiovascular gene therapy. In 1995, he led the way by applying adenoviral gene transfer to human arteries, improving myocardial perfusion through VEGF in phase I/II trials. His research revealed the value of promoter-targeted upregulating shRNAs and the vasculoprotective effects of VEGF, benefiting dialysis patients in a phase II trial. He also developed essential techniques like a perivascular gene delivery device and the cloning of a soluble scavenger receptor for hyperlipidemia treatment. Furthermore, his work shed light on the biology and signaling of VEGFs such as VEGF-B and VEGF-C/D in the heart. Under his leadership, eight phase I-III gene therapy trials have been conducted. These achievements have revolutionized gene therapy and advanced medical science significantly. Furthermore, as the founder of Ark Therapeutics Ltd (now FinVector Ltd) and the founder and Chairman of the Board at Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy, Professor Ylä-Herttuala continues to play a crucial role in developing clinical GMP gene transfer vectors and nasal vaccines, contributing to advancements in the field of gene therapy and vaccine research. For further information, visit European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy website: https://www.esgct.eu/post/seppo-yla-herttuala-winner-of-2023-outstanding-achievement-award Our CEO, Tuija Keinonen, will give a presentation titled 'Rokote Approach for Nasal Vaccination' at the World Vaccine Congress Europe in Barcelona on Tuesday, October 17th, at 12:05 PM.
We are delighted to have this opportunity to discuss intranasal vaccines and the development status of our vaccine. We are more than happy to engage in a chat about collaboration possibilities and vaccine development during the event. The World Vaccine Congress Europe is the largest and most established European meeting on vaccine R&D. Join us there! Link to the event: https://www.terrapinn.com/conference/world-vaccine-congress-europe/index.stm Following the completion of the research and development phase for Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy's FINCoVac 2.1 coronavirus vaccine in early summer, the vaccine has advanced to the next stage in the production process at a designated contract manufacturer. This marks a significant milestone in the vaccine's development. Multi-stage Production of the Drug Batch Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy's drug (vaccine) is vector-based, utilizing a safe adenovirus as a carrier. Within the virus vector, the DNA sequence of the coronavirus spike protein has been cloned. The GMP-level production process of the virus vector vaccine began with the preparation of a large virus bank called the Master Viral Seed Stock (MVSS). The virus bank has already been prepared by Rokote Laboratories Finland Oy's contract manufacturer in Belgium. The MVSS virus bank has been divided into multiple sub-banks and is stored at -80°C to ensure long-term viability. The MVSS serves as the starting material to produce production-scale drug batches, and it can be used to produce several hundred drug batches.
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