BioDiem sets sights on dengue fever vaccine

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) has secured an exclusive license to a vaccine technology for dengue fever developed at the Australian National University.

The Melbourne vaccine development company has arranged to license the technology from the ANU's John Curtin School of Medical Research in exchange for royalties.

While the first disease indication is dengue fever, BioDiem said the technology may aid in the design of vaccines for a range of infectious diseases, including Murray Valley and Japanese encephalitis.

The agreement with the ANU entitles BioDiem to outlicense the technology for other disease targets, and the university will be entitled to royalties from any licensing revenues received from such deals.

Dengue fever is a debilitating disease transmitted through mosquito bites, which affects an estimated 50 to 100 million people per year. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and skin rashes.

A small number of cases develop into the life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever, which causes bleeding and blood plasma leakage. There is no existing vaccine for the disease.

BioDiem's key product at the trial stage is an intransal vaccine for seasonal and pandemic influenza. This vaccine is based on the company's proprietary Live Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV).

Last month, the company announced it had partnered with VIVALIS for research to develop a new viral vector by growing the LAIV virus within a VIVALIS cell line.

BioDiem has also been licensing the LAIV technology to companies including China's Changchun BCHT, and last month it had received license fees from these deals totalling $1.4 million so far this year.

Also in May, the company partnered with Foundation Fighting Blindness in the US to test its in-development eye disorder treatment BDM-E in preclinical models of retinitis pigmentosa.

BioDiem (ASX:BDM) shares were trading unchanged at $0.077 as of around 11am on Thursday.