Developing a novel Norovirus vaccine candidate with INTEGRA pipettes represents a significant advancement in combating this highly contagious virus.
INTEGRA Biosciences has awarded HilleVax 50 EVOLVE manual pipettes, GRIPTIPS® pipette tips valued at US $1000, and various lab accessories. This support will help accelerate HilleVax’s research into the development of a norovirus vaccine. The prize was part of the ‘INTEGRA supports start-ups’ competition, which concluded in April 2023.
HilleVax was established to address health inequalities and provide equal care for patients worldwide by developing innovative vaccines. It is a collaboration between Frazier Healthcare and Takeda and is currently in Phase II clinical trials for HIL-214, a promising virus-like particle vaccine candidate for norovirus.
The company is in the process of setting up its laboratory to advance the development of HIL-214 and is delighted to have won the ‘INTEGRA supports start-ups’ competition. Dr. Erika Olson, Senior Scientist in the company’s Clinical Assay Group, expressed her enthusiasm for the prize: “I have always had excellent experiences working with INTEGRA products in the past. The pipettes are ergonomic, easy to program, and consistently reliable. Having access to a wide range of pipetting volumes will ensure the highest efficiency and quality of results. The GRIPTIPS provide confidence in secure tip attachment. Additionally, the unique feature of EVOLVE pipettes, allowing easy switching between low and high volumes in just a few clicks, along with their lightweight design and low tip attachment and ejection forces, significantly improves ergonomics and reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries. We are thrilled to start using the pipettes.”
Accelerating Norovirus Vaccine Development.
Dr. Olson and her team were researching liquid handling products when they applied for the ‘INTEGRA supports start-ups’ competition. She explained, “I have always had excellent experiences working with INTEGRA products in the past. The pipettes are ergonomic, easy to program, and consistently reliable. When I learned about INTEGRA’s giveaway to support start-ups working on high-impact technologies, I applied immediately, believing that HilleVax would be a perfect fit.”
HilleVax was awarded 50 EVOLVE manual pipettes, $1000 worth of ECO rack GRIPTIPS, and lab accessories. These resources will be utilized in various areas, including research and development, analytics, and manufacturing. Dr. Olson continued, “Having access to a wide range of pipetting volumes will ensure the highest quality of results, and the GRIPTIPS provide confidence in secure tip attachment. I am particularly excited about the ergonomic benefits these products will bring. Many of my colleagues in this field suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive pipetting or regularly perform exercises to prevent it. The ability of EVOLVE pipettes to switch between low and high volumes with ease, combined with their lightweight design and low tip attachment and ejection forces, significantly improves ergonomics and reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries.”
“As our company continues to grow, we are eager to fully equip our lab with INTEGRA’s top-of-the-line pipetting technologies. We are already discussing INTEGRA’s electronic pipettes and semi-automation offerings. This will expedite our research to better understand HIL-214 and its potential benefits for patients, as well as future vaccine developments. We are truly excited to begin using the pipettes,” concluded Dr. Olson.
The inception of transformative research.
Previously, HilleVax had exclusively collaborated with contract research organizations. However, the company is now taking concrete steps towards establishing its own laboratory in order to expedite vaccine development and enhance its capabilities. Erika elaborated, stating, “HilleVax possesses a distinct advantage as a start-up founded by leading vaccine developers and equipped with an existing Phase II asset. Consequently, our team is excited to swiftly embark on our research. This will encompass comprehensive exploratory work aimed at expediting the licensure of HIL-214. We will delve into immune responses, optimize production costs, and evaluate its effectiveness against both existing and potential future strains of norovirus. Naturally, we require the necessary space and resources to carry out these endeavors and sustain our growth. Therefore, we eagerly anticipate equipping our own laboratory with all the essentials to commence our research.”