Tampa biotech looks to develop Covid vaccine
May 4, 2020 - Oragenics, a Tampa drug development company, is focused on developing and commercializing TerraCoV2, a vaccine candidate that could provide specific immunity for Covid-19, after acquiring the company that holds a worldwide, nonexclusive license with the National Institutes of Health to the vaccine candidate. Oragenics (NYSE American: OGEN) acquired Noachis Terra Inc. in a cash and stock deal. Oragenics paid $1.95 million in cash and issued 9.2 million restricted shares of common stock as well as warrants to buy another 9.2 million shares. The acquisition marks a significant milestone for Oragenics, said Alan Joslyn, president and CEO of Oragenics, said in a news release. Although the research and potential applications covered by Noachis Terra’s NIH license are substantial, the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved a vaccine for the prevention of Covid-19. Relying on the intellectual property obtained through the NIH license, Oragenics said it expects to accelerate activities to enter clinical trials in late 2020 or early 2021.