Valneva and LimmaTech Awarded FDA Fast Track Designation for Tetravalent Shigella Vaccine Candidate S4V

Saint Herblain (France) and Schlieren (Zurich), October 16, 2024 – Valneva SE (Nasdaq: VALN; Euronext Paris: VLA), a specialty vaccine company, and LimmaTech Biologics AG, a clinical-stage biotech company developing vaccines for the prevention of life-threatening diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to Shigella4V (S4V), the world’s most clinically advanced tetravalent bioconjugate shigellosis vaccine candidate, for which Valneva obtained an exclusive worldwide license from LimmaTech.

Fast Track designation is granted by the FDA to products under development that have the potential to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. It is designed to facilitate the clinical development and expedite the review of important new products with the intention to get them to the people who need them earlier1 .

Thomas Lingelbach, Chief Executive Officer of Valneva, commented, “Shigellosis is the second leading cause of fatal diarrheal disease worldwide. However, there is currently no approved Shigella vaccine and the development of Shigella vaccines has been identified as a priority by the World Health Organization (WHO). Fast Track designation allows us to work closely with the FDA to accelerate our efforts to deliver a preventative solution against this deadly disease.”

Dr. Franz-Werner Haas, Chief Executive Officer of LimmaTech, stated, “We are highly encouraged by the FDA’s Fast Track designation, which reinforces our efforts and underscores the significant potential of the S4V Shigella vaccine candidate to address a serious global health threat.”

It is estimated that up to 165 million cases of disease and an estimated 600,000 deaths are attributed to Shigella each year, particularly among children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Shigellosis also affects international travelers from high-income countries and deployed military personnel in endemic regions.

In August 2024, Valneva entered into a strategic partnership and exclusive licensing agreement with LimmaTech2 for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of S4V. Following positive Phase 1/2 results3 earlier this year, LimmaTech will conduct a Phase 2 Controlled Human Infection Model study (CHIM) in the U.S. and a Phase 2 pediatric study in LMICs, both expected to begin before the end of 2024. Valneva will assume all further development, including CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls) and regulatory activities, and be responsible for its commercialization worldwide, if approved.

The anticipated regulatory pathway for S4V will leverage a combination of CHIM studies to support potential initial approval in adults followed by field efficacy studies to potentially expand the indication to children.