A few words from our CEO
The goal and driving force for the team at Simplexia is to curtail and treat infection with Herpes simplex virus (HSV), one of the world’s most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases.
One of the most prevalent diseases
An estimated half a billion people have a genital infection with HSV type 2 or type 1, and several billion had an oral HSV type 1 infection, according to the Bulletin of the World Health Organization in 2016. The infection is lifelong and is characterised by period reactivations, causing painful genital blisters, sometimes with meningitis, and in the case of HSV-2 in new-borns and immunocompromised patients, life-threatening encephalitis.
After initial infection, the virus establishes a latent infection in peripheral nerves, from which it may periodically reactivate due to stress, immunosuppression, sunlight exposure or fever.
Currently, genital herpes cannot be cured
There is no cure for herpes infection, with most being treated for symptoms with antiviral drugs that were discovered in the 1970. The lack of effective and modern treatment options makes herpes infection a clear target for vaccine development.
What if there is a solution?
Research in the laboratories of the founders of Simplexia and elsewhere has shown that glycoproteins from HSV-1 and 2 when administered as a vaccine are highly immunogenic and provide protection in mouse models. This work has identified lead vaccine candidate antigens, shown that these can be manufactured using recombinant DNA-technology and that the proteins are immunogenic and protective when administered with conventional adjuvants in mouse models.
We strongly believe there is.
Simplexia has built up an ambitious and knowledgeable team with decades of experience of pharmaceutical development. The company has now entered an exciting new phase in its efforts to take ground-breaking research in Gothenburg from the laboratory to patients. Simplexia is developing a new modality of genital herpes vaccines. Our ambition is to launch the first vaccine on the market for treatment and prevention of genital herpes.
I am proud and excited to be joining the company in this journey. The vaccines developed by Simplexia will have a profound effect both on public health and quality of life of individual people.
Tim Wood, CEO, Simplexia AB
Company background
Based on the need for an effective treatment of Genital Herpes, a devastating disease with a number of feared complications, Simplexia AB was founded in 2017. More than 500 million people, globally, are affected by this disease.
Scientific origins
Simplexia is based on the research of Ass. Prof. Jan-Åke Liljeqvist and the department of Virology at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden. The unique research on the type specific envelop protein gG-2, of the HSV-2 virus causing Genital Herpes, was commenced in 1995. The research group has developed a vaccine candidate being patented by Simplexia.
Contributing to society
Genital Herpes vaccination has the potential to make a great contribution to society and would address two of the FN’s sustainable development goals:
- Contribute to better health by decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with Genital Herpes and associated infections
- Contribute to gender equality. Women are more exposed to risks of infections and complications in relation to pregnancy, childbirth and since they are overrepresented as frontline workers in healthcare.