Ep208: Gary Nabel on Developing a Vaccine for Epstein-Barr Virus

Gary Nabel, CEO of ModeX Therapeutics, details the evolution of vaccine development and the transition toward multi-specific biologics. Moving beyond traditional single-target approaches, modern antibody engineering enables the creation of therapies that hit multiple viral or tumor targets simultaneously, effectively preventing viral escape and enhancing immune responses. A primary focus is the development of a bivalent vaccine against the Epstein-Barr virus, which is linked to infectious mononucleosis, various cancers, and autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis. By targeting both B-cell and epithelial cell entry receptors, this candidate aims to provide sterilizing immunity. Nabel emphasizes that while academic research provides the foundational science, industry partnerships are essential for scaling production and navigating clinical trials. The current pipeline at ModeX further extends these engineering principles to cancer immunotherapies, utilizing tetravalent antibodies to activate T-cells directly at tumor sites.