Immunethep is a biotech company developing solutions to protect fetus and newborn from bacterial infections.
Immunethep – neonatal vaccine
Each year, 1.35 million babies die from bacterial infections (stillbirths and deaths in the 1st month of life). Bacterial infections in the newborns cause severe life-threatening diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia and septicaemia. Bacterial infections in the newborn can rapidly develop into severe sepsis killing in hours if not treated promptly. Survivors from severe bacterial infections will most likely suffer from neurological or developmental impairments. Currently, there is no preventive strategy to combat neonatal bacterial infections. Immunethep developed a single vaccine that addresses the bacterial strains responsible for over 95% of fatal bacterial infection in neonates.
Immunethep’s first product (Neonatal vaccine) is intended to be administered in women. Vaccinated mothers will start passing the antibodies to their babies during pregnancy and continue doing that during lactancy. This will overcome the fragility of neonate’s immune system, conferring a robust protection against bacterial infections. Neonatal Vaccine will be the first vaccine to prevent bacterial infections from the womb to the first months of a baby’s life.
Immunethep is a biotech company spin-off from the University of Porto. Immunethep is developing anti-bacterial vaccines based on the discovery of a virulence mechanism shared by different bacteria that cause life-threatening infections. This vaccine (Neonatal vaccine) is the outcome of more than 30 years of research at the Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto. Recently, Immunethep has successfully closed its first round of funding from Portugal Ventures through its fund “Fundo de Capital de Risco Portugal Ventures Biocant”.
More about Immunethep : www.immunethep.com