HDT Bio Corp., a developer of immunotherapies for oncology and infectious diseases, announced today an agreement with Korean biotech Quratis Inc. to co-develop HDT’s revolutionary COVID-19 vaccine (a next generation mRNA vaccine) for distribution in South Korea and neighboring countries. HDT previously established a collaboration with Gennova Biopharmaceuticals in India, and it plans to announce similar deals in China and Brazil soon.

“This agreement will enable Quratis to manufacture our next-generation COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it across much of East Asia,” said HDT Bio CEO Steve Reed. “Today, we have advanced both HDT’s business prospects and its global health reach.”

HDT Bio’s COVID-19 vaccine uses a proprietary Lipid InOrganic Nanoparticle (LION^TM) formulation to deliver immune-stimulating RNA fragments to targeted cells. The vaccine, currently in clinical trials to establish safety and efficacy, is significantly different from current mRNA vaccines in two ways. First, its RNA payload is designed to amplify itself inside the body. As a result, the vaccine effectively activates the immune system at a much lower dose than current vaccines, enhancing safety and reducing manufacturing costs. Second, the HDT LION formulation system simplifies manufacture and enhances stability.

“Partnering with HDT Bio gives us a unique opportunity to fight COVID-19 with the world’s most advanced mRNA vaccine technology not only in Korea, but also in other nations in our region to help bring an end to this deadly pandemic,” said Kwan Goo Cho, President of Quratis.

Quratis got an IND approval from Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for Phase I clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine in mid-July and is expected to begin evaluating QTP104 in a Phase 1 clinical trial shortly.