FORT DETRICK, Md.  –   August 12, 2022, Dynavax Technologies Corporation, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense’s (JPEO-CBRND) Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical), began a Phase II clinical trial using the JPM CBRN Medical’s Recombinant Plague (rF1V) vaccine, with Dynavax’s biological response modifier (BRM) cytosine phosphoguanine (CpG) 1018®, to help improve the vaccine’s onset of protection and efficacy level. This clinical trial will serve as a launching point to evaluate new vaccine enhancements that will help ensure vaccines are operationally relevant to the warfighter. The DOD’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program supported this effort.

The JPM CBRN Medical developed its plague vaccine to protect against fatal intoxication caused by aerosolized exposure to Yersinia pestis, and to counter adversarial biological aerosolized plague threats. Vaccine discovery and early development were completed at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). 

The JPM CBRN Medical plans to use the Phase II adaptive clinical trial’s successes and lessons learned to improve additional vaccines by pairing them with BRMs to assess protection onset, duration, and level improvement. Further enhanced vaccine development will be completed under the Vaccine Acceleration by Modular Progression (VAMP) program.

About the JPM CBRN Medical: The Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Medical (JPM CBRN Medical), a component of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, aims to provide U.S. military forces and the nation with safe, effective, and innovative medical solutions to counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. The JPM CBRN Medical facilitates the advanced development and acquisition of medical countermeasures and systems to enhance the nation’s biodefense response capability. To learn more about the JPM CBRN Medical, visit https://www.jpeocbrnd.osd.mil/coronavirus or follow JPEO-CBRND on social media at @JPEOCBRND.  

About the JPEO-CBRND: The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) protects the Joint Force by providing medical countermeasures and defense equipment against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The JPEO-CBRND’s goal is to enable the Joint Force to fight and win unencumbered by a CBRN environment. The JPEO-CBRND facilitates the rapid response, advanced development, manufacturing and acquisition of medical solutions, such as vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, to combat CBRN and emerging threats such as COVID-19. To learn more about the JPEO-CBRND’s COVID-19 response, visit https://www.jpeocbrnd.osd.mil/coronavirus or follow the JPEO-CBRND on social media at @JPEOCBRND.