Exclusive: Centivax raises $37M to advance universal flu vaccine
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Centivax, developer of a universal flu and other vaccines, has raised $37 million in follow-on funding, CEO Jake Glanville tells Axios Pro exclusively.
Why it matters: It's a challenging time to build a vaccine company, experts have told Axios Pro, as the current FDA has created hurdles for some firms.
Follow the money: Structure Fund led, joined by Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Sigmas Group, Kendall Capital Partners, and Stripe founders Patrick and John Collison.
- South San Francisco-based Centivax has now raised $133 million to date, following a $45 million Series A in July.
The latest: Centivax's flu vaccine is being tested in a Phase 1 trial and results are expected by the end of this year.
What's next: The financing will get Centivax to a Phase 2 flu vaccine trial in early 2027 and gives it runway into 2028, Glanville says.
- Trials will help determine how long a single dose can protect patients against the flu.
- Glanville notes the goal is for the vaccine to require a booster only every two to four years, rather than the annual shots patients currently receive.
What they're saying: "If our data looks good by the end of this year, effectively, the pandemic era for influenza is over," Glanville says.
Threat level: Centivax is preparing for unpredictability at the FDA, after the agency's about-face on Moderna's flu vaccine application last month.
- The company is testing its flu vaccine at sites in Europe and Australia, as well as the U.S., Glanville says.
- "If something unexpected happens with the FDA, we would just proceed in Europe," he says. "There may be scenarios where … Europeans benefit from the universal vaccine before the United States."
How it works: Founded in 2021, Centivax is a "universal immunity company," developing universal snake venom, Alzheimer's, malaria and cancer vaccines.
- "You want to treat all the flus, not just one strain," Glanville says. "You want to treat all the snakes, not just one snake."
What we're watching: Centivax anticipates attracting significant industry interest if its Phase 1 data readout is positive, says chief business officer Stephanie Wisner.
- "What we're most interested and excited about would be partnering with a pharma company that has the marketing and the distribution channels to really ensure that this important medicine reaches everyone," Wisner says.
- The company remains open to various growth levers, including another capital raise, a licensing or M&A deal, or even going public, Glanville says.
