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Houston med school develops revolutionary mRNA vaccine for elephants

zoology biology

Baylor College of Medicine's Jessica Watts, Dr. Jerome Pollet, and Dr. Paul Ling with Tess. Photo by Jackelin Reyna/Houston Zoo

An innovative team from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital has worked with the Houston Zoo to develop a first-of-its-kind treatment for elephants, which has been administered to its first patient.

Tess, the beloved, 40-year-old matriarch of the Houston Zoo’s elephant herd, is recovering well after receiving the first-ever mRNA vaccine against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) 1A on Tuesday, June 18. The veterinary staff at the Houston Zoo will monitor Tess in the coming weeks to check her reaction and the efficacy of the vaccine.

EEHV 1A is a deadly infection for Asian Elephants. While generally benign in African Elephants, Asian Elephants can develop fatal hemorrhages. The fatality rate is a whopping 80 percent, making it one of the most serous threats to elephant populations outside of humans.

Anti-viral drugs have some effect on the disease, but two-thirds show no improvement. This has led to a search for a vaccine. For 15 years, the Houston Zoo and Dr. Paul Ling at Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Virology and Microbiology have partnered to develop the drug. They have been helped by worldwide research from zoos and animal specialists, as well as graduate student Jessica Watts and Dr. Jeroen Pollet at Houston's Texas Children’s Hospital. The research has been funded by private donations, research partnerships, and grants.

Before being inoculated, the mRNA vaccine was exhaustively tested, with the dosage being extrapolated from data involving horses.

Houston Zoo veterinarians will periodically test Tess to see if she is developing the appropriate antibodies. If she is and there are no adverse reactions, the next step will be to administer the vaccine to the rest of the Houston herd. Many of these are Tess’s own children (Tucker, Tupelo, Tilly, and Teddy) and grandchildren (Winnie).

Should the vaccine prove effective, the doses will be made available worldwide to zoos and private elephant sanctuaries. It is likely to have a significant benefit on protecting and preserving the Asian Elephant population. As of January, there are fewer than 50,000 of the animas left in the wild. They are currently listed as endangered, and breeding programs and research done through the Houston Zoo are essential to keeping the animals from going extinct.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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A Houston health care company received the green light from the FDA to advance a treatment that's targeting a deadly cancer. Photo via Getty Images

Houston immunotherapy company achieves FDA designation for cancer-fighting vaccine

got the green light

The FDA has granted a Houston-based company a Fast Track designation.

Diakonos Oncology Corp. is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company that has developed a unique dendritic cell vaccine, DOC1021. The vaccine targets glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and most lethal malignant brain tumor in adults. The aggressive tumors come with a life expectancy of about 15 months following diagnosis. About 7 percent of those diagnosed survive five years, while the 10-year outlook only sees a one-percent survival rate.

“The FDA’s decision acknowledges the potential of this new treatment approach for a very challenging disease,” Diakonos CEO Mike Wicks says in a press release. “Our protocol represents a first for cancer immunotherapy and could be viable for many types of cancers beyond GBM.”

FDA Fast Track designations are intended to expedite the haste with which drugs with early clinical promise are reviewed, likely taking them to market faster.

DOC1021 uses the body’s natural anti-viral immune response to fight GBM. The vaccine mimics viral infection with the patient’s cancer markers. Essentially, DOC1021 uses the body’s own natural ability to detect and eliminate infected cells.

The technology uses dendritic cells, white blood cells that are able to perceive threats, to its advantage. The unique cancer markers are loaded both internally and externally into the immune cells, just as they would simultaneously occur in a viral infection. The individualized treatment is administered through three precise injections that target deep cervical lymph node chains. By dosing this way, the immune responses are directed straight to the central nervous system.

The results have spoken for themselves: All of the patients who have tried the treatment have exceeded survival expectations. And just as importantly, DOC1021 appears to be extremely safe. No serious adverse effects have been reported.

“Because Phase I clinical trials are generally not statistically powered to demonstrate efficacy, detection of a statistically significant efficacy signal is very promising,” says William Decker, associate professor of immunology at Baylor College of Medicine and inventor of the DOC1021 technology.

The Phase 1 open-label trial of DOC1021 (NCT04552886) is currently taking place at both the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, NJ. The trial is expected to complete this year.

Drs. Maria Elena Bottazzi and Peter Hotez got the green light to distribute their low-cost COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia. Photo courtesy

Houston doctors get approval for low-cost COVID vaccine abroad

green light

A Houston-born COVID-19 vaccine has gotten the go-ahead to be produced and distributed in Indonesia.

PT Bio Farma, which oversees government-owned pharmaceutical manufacturers in Indonesia, says it’s prepared to make 20 million doses of the IndoVac COVID-19 vaccine this year and 100 million doses a year by 2024. This comes after the vaccine received authorization from the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority for emergency use in adults.

With more than 275 million residents, Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country.

IndoVac was created by the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and Baylor College of Medicine. Drs. Peter Hotez and Maria Elena Bottazzi lead the vaccine project. Bio Farma is licensing IndoVac from BCM Ventures, the commercial group at the Baylor College of Medicine.

“Access to vaccines in the developing world is critical to the eradication of this virus,” Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, says in a news release.

Aside from distributing the vaccine in Indonesia, Bio Farma plans to introduce it to various international markets.

“The need for a safe, effective, low-cost vaccine for middle- to low-income countries is central to the world’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Bottazzi, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor.

“Without widespread inoculation of populations in the developing world, which must include safe, effective booster doses, additional [COVID-19] variants will develop, hindering the progress achieved by currently available vaccines in the United States and other Western countries.”

Bio Farma says it has completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials for IndoVac and is wrapping up a Phase 3 trial.

IndoVac is a version of the patent-free, low-cost Corbevax vaccine, developed in Houston and dubbed “The World’s COVID-19 Vaccine.” The vaccine formula can be licensed by a vaccine producer in any low- or middle-income country, which then can take ownership of it, produce it, name it, and work with government officials to distribute it, Hotez told The Texas Tribune in February.

Among donors that have pitched in money for development of the vaccine are the Houston-based MD Anderson and John S. Dunn foundations, the San Antonio-based Kleberg Foundation, and Austin-based Tito’s Vodka.

“During 2022, we hope to partner with the World Health Organization and other United Nations agencies to vaccinate the world. We believe that global vaccine equity is finally at hand and that it is the only thing that can bring the COVID pandemic to an end,” Hotez and Bottazzi wrote in a December 2021 article for Scientific American.

Drs. Maria Elena Bottazzi and Peter Hotez at the Center for Vaccine Development. Photo courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital

2 Houston powerhouses deploy game-changing COVID-19 worldwide vaccine

a good shot

With the U.S. logging its highest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases (441,278 infections) and some 281, 808, 270 cases documented worldwide, new treatments worldwide are in major demand — especially in emerging nations.

To that end, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine announced a new COVID vaccine ready to deploy in India and soon, other underserved countries.

Corbevax, which is dubbed “The World’s COVID-19 Vaccine,” utilizes a traditional recombinant protein-based technology that will enable production at large scales, per a press release. That means the inoculation will be widely accessible to inoculate the global population.

This new vaccine was developed at Texas Children’s Hospital CVD and led by co-directors Drs. Maria Elena Bottazzi and Peter Hotez — and in-licensed from BCM Ventures, Baylor College of Medicine’s integrated commercialization team, to Hyderabad-based vaccine and pharmaceutical company Biological E. Limited (BE).

After completing two Phase III clinical trials involving more than 3000 subjects the vaccine was found to be safe, well tolerated, and immunogenic. Current research shows Corbevax notably effective against the Ancestral-Wuhan strain and the globally dominant Delta variant, press materials note.

Safe, streamlined, low-cost vaccines for middle- to low-income countries are central to the world’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the two Houston organizations note. Indeed, without widespread vaccination of populations in the Global South, additional virus variants will arise, hindering the progress achieved by currently available vaccines in the United States and other Western countries, per research.

“This announcement is an important first step in vaccinating the world and halting the pandemic,” said Hotez in a statement. “Our vaccine technology offers a path to address an unfolding humanitarian crisis, namely the vulnerability the low- and middle-income countries face against the delta variant. Widespread and global vaccination with our Texas Children’s-Baylor-BE vaccine would also forestall the emergence of new variants. We have previously missed that opportunity for the alpha and delta variant. Now is our chance to prevent a new global wave from what might follow.”

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine are working on a new COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Photo by Dwight C. Andrews/Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Houston health care organizations team up for the 'people's vaccine'

COVID Collaboration

Two major health care institutions in Houston — Texas Children's Hospital and the Baylor College of Medicine — are a step closer to rolling out what they dub the "people's vaccine" for COVID-19.

The two institutions, along with India-based vaccine and pharmaceutical company Biological E Ltd., have gained approval to move ahead this month with Phase III clinicals trials in India of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate called Corbevax. The Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development developed the vaccine's protein antigen, which was licensed from the Baylor College of Medicine's BCM Ventures commercialization arm.

Unlike COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S., Corbevax contains the so-called "spike protein" from the surface of the novel coronavirus. Once that protein is injected via a vaccine, the body is supposed to begin building immunity against the protein and thereby prevent serious illness.

Experts envision Corbevax being a readily available weapon in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the simple vaccine platform (like the one used to prevent Hepatitis B) and the ability to store the vaccine in normal refrigerated settings. The targets of this vaccine are children and mothers.

"In the midst of India's public health crisis, it is our hope that our Texas Children's and Baylor COVID-19 vaccine can be released for emergency authorization in India and in all countries in need of essential COVID-19 vaccinations," Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, says in a June 9 news release.

India has reported more than 29 million cases of COVID-19, causing 354,000 deaths. The country's COVID-19 surge reached its peak in May.

"The vaccines currently available cannot be manufactured quick enough to meet supply shortages in low-income countries," Hotez says. "Our vaccine is truly 'the people's vaccine,' created to serve the most marginalized and underserved populations that are hardest hit by this pandemic. This is the vaccine that could be used to vaccinate the world."

In the Phase III trial, the two-dose Corbevax vaccine will be administered to about 1,200 people age 18 to 80 at 15 sites in India. A larger global study of Corbevax is in the works.

According to India.com, Corbevax could be the most affordable COVID-19 vaccine available in the nation of nearly 1.37 billion people, costing close to $7 for a two-dose regimen. The Indian government already has preordered 300 million doses of Corbevax, which has shown promise in Phase I and Phase II trials. The Phase II trial ended in April.

If the Phase III trial goes as planned, doses could be widely administered as soon as August. Biological E initially plans to produce 75 million to 80 million doses per month, according to media reports. The Indian company foresees manufacturing at least 1 billion doses by the end of 2022.

ClassPass, which recently opened a Houston location, has launched a new tool for users to find their closest vaccine location. Photo courtesy of ClassPass

Tech company launches COVID-19 vaccine finder in Houston

there's an app for that

A global tech company that recently opened a local office in Houston has announced a major upgrade to its app — and it's now available in Houston.

ClassPass, a network of fitness and wellness partners, now has Houston vaccine centers searchable within the app and website. Members can find their closest vaccine center and get important information — like hours and address — as well as how to contact the locations; however, users aren't able to book directly through ClassPass.

"We are in a global health crisis and every company should be helping to support relief and vaccination efforts however they can. Using the ClassPass platform to connect members with vaccine centers is a natural extension of our technology and a way that we can contribute to curbing the spread of COVID-19," says Jeff Bladt, vice president of pricing and inventory, in a news release.

"We have deep knowledge of how to help people find accurate and up-to-date information on local businesses after routing millions of users to fitness and wellness locations across 30 countries," he adds.

Users can search for COVID vaccine locations online or through the app. Photo courtesy of ClassPass

The new search option has been rolled out already in in Austin and Dallas, as well as Boston, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York City and Washington, D.C.

"The process of finding a vaccination appointment can be challenging and many people don't know where to start," says Dr. Vin Gupta, a critical care pulmonologist, health policy expert, and NBC News Medical Analyst, in the release.

"I was thrilled to hear that ClassPass, a high touch app that has already trained people how to search for vital health information, is leveraging their platform to make it easier to identify vaccine sites and secure appointments," he continues. "Anything that can address this information gap is critical in getting more people vaccinated."

ClassPass quickly pivoted when the pandemic hit last year, and now all 41,500 fitness, wellness, and beauty partners on the app have been asked to provide updated details on their COVID policies. ClassPass also worked with 5,000 top studios around the world to add digital classes as an option.

In March, Houston-based ClassPass exec, Rachel Moctron, joined the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss this pivot and the new Houston office. Listen to it below.


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NASA awards Houston university $1.2M for diversity in aerospace initiative

future of space

NASA will award the University of Houston $1.2 million toward a collaborative project with some of the biggest players in aerospace to foster diversity in the field.

The funds will go toward UH's Partnership for Inclusivity in Engineering Education and Research for Space, or PIE2RS, which is a collaboration between UH, UH-Clear Lake, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the Boeing Company, and the Greater Houston Partnership.

PIE2RS will provide experiential learning opportunities for marginalized students through capstone projects, internships and research opportunities. It will also offer a 10-week paid research experience for 18 students each year, along with professional development workshops and mentoring opportunities.

It will be led by Jerrod A. Henderson, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at UH. Karolos Grigoriadis, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Endowed Professor and chair of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, will serve as co-principal investigator.

“Our research, as well as the research of leading scholars, has highlighted the challenges underrepresented students face, including isolation, marginalization, racial bias and hostile educational environments,” Henderson said in a statement. “Our goal with PIE2RS is to improve the recruitment and retention of students in aerospace-related STEM disciplines, increase their sense of belonging and broaden their participation through hands-on research and experiential learning opportunities.”

UH professors Olga Bannova, Mariam Manuel and Tian Chen will also work on the project along with collaborator Rick Greer.

The funds come from NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project in partnership with the National Science Foundation’s Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science network, which aim to support diversity in the engineering fields.

UH is one of six universities to receive funding for DEI projects from NASA, totaling $7.2 million. The other institutions include:

  • Alabama A&M University
  • Morgan State University
  • North Carolina A&T University
  • University of Central Florida
  • University of Colorado – Denver

“With these awards, we are continuing to create pathways that increase access and opportunities in STEM for underrepresented and underserved groups,” Keya Briscoe, NASA's MUREP manager, said in a statement. “NASA continues to invest in initiatives that are critical in driving innovation, fostering inclusion, and providing access to the STEM ecosystem for everyone.”

NASA has inked several deals and agreements with Houston ties in recent months.

Space tech company Intuitive Machines (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) secured its fourth contract with NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or CLPS, program last month for $116.9 million. The agreement includes six lunar deliveries.

In August, oil giant bp America and NASA agreed to share digital technology and technical expertise to boost U.S. space exploration efforts.

Ken Nguyen, principal technical program manager at bp, explained the unique opportunities behind the deal in a recent episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast.

First-of-its-kind electric jet to fly over greater Houston area

flying evs

An aircraft that's being touted as the first fully electric jet is taking off from Hobby Airport to serve the greater Houston area.

Lilium Jet, which takes off and lands vertically, is making its United States market debut at Houston-area facilities – Houston Hobby Airport, Conroe North Houston Regional Airport, and The Woodlands Heliport Lilium. Houston-based aircraft brokerage EMCJET will house the Lilium Jet at its Galaxy FBO Houston-area facilities at the airports.

“We are excited to transform Galaxy FBO into a cutting-edge hub for the eVTOL innovation,” Jeremy Gee, CEO of Galaxy FBO, says in a news release. "As the future of electric aviation takes flight, this marks a significant step in making Houston a leader in sustainable and efficient transportation solutions. Our team is proud to support Lilium's revolutionary mode of travel that will connect Greater Houston in ways never thought possible."

The Lilium Jet is capable of quickly connecting routes like Houston Hobby Airport to Galveston, Houston Spaceport to College Station, The Woodlands to Galveston, and others. The jet is designed for regional travel with its aerodynamic shape. The ducted electric fans prioritize efficiency and speed during forward flight. The jet’s anticipated initial operating range is roughly 110 miles. Lilium aims for the first piloted flight of the Lilium Jet to occur early in 2025.

“Lilium is serious about expanding in the U.S. and actively progressing towards FAA validation,” Lilium’s Vice President of Commercial Americas Matthew Broffman says in a news release.” As part of our commitment to working with communities across the U.S. and expanding our customer base, we’re excited to showcase our aircraft for the first time in Houston, a city with a proud legacy of aerospace innovation in America.”

The Greater Houston Partnership will also host a discussion with industry leaders on how electric aviation can “revolutionize regional travel” according to a news release.

“Houston is home to the world’s leading aerospace companies, and we’re thrilled to welcome Lilium and this next generation of aviation technology,” says Kevin Tipton, senior director for aerospace and aviation at GHP in a news release. “Together, we’re on the brink of something groundbreaking for our region.”

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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

US Latinas are contributing to the Houston economy at a volume worth celebrating

guest column

Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity each year to reflect on the impact Hispanics have made in our culture. Whether we recognize it or not, we experience this impact year-round through our food, sports, business, politics, science, education and the arts. Yet, one of the most important and lasting impacts that isn’t often celebrated is the role the Hispanic community plays in accelerating economic growth.

The recently released U.S. Latina GDP Report, commissioned by Bank of America, reveals a powerful truth: Latinas are a driving force in the U.S. economy, contributing $1.3 trillion to the GDP in 2021.

In fact, Latina economic output has grown over 50 percent in a decade - far outpacing the growth rate of any other segment. Today, the Latina GDP is larger than the entire economy of Florida, and that of every other state except California, New York and Texas.

This rapid rise reflects the resilience, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of Latinas across the country. Here in Houston, these statistics are evident in the contributions of Latinabusiness owners who are driving our local economy and revitalizing our community.

Known as one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in America, Houston is bolstered by an ever-growing Latino population. With over 2.8 million Hispanic and Latino residents in 2023, the Houston metropolitan area is home to the fourth-largest Hispanic and Latino population in the nation. Latina entrepreneurs are playing a vital role in shaping our economic landscape. About 25 percent of all Latino-owned businesses in Texas are owned by Latinas. To provide perspective, there are more than 11,000 Latino-owned businesses in Houston that are preserving the heritage of our community while fueling economic growth.

When it comes to college education, the number of Latinas with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased 103 percent between 2010 and 2021, while the number of highly-educated non-Hispanic females increased only 38.3 percent. And despite being just 9.3 percent of the U.S. population, Latinas are responsible for 30.2 percent of the U.S. labor force growth since 2010.

Through this increased educational attainment and powerful entrepreneurial mindset, Latinas continue to build thriving businesses that uplift their local communities, propel economic mobility and create generational wealth. They provide valuable services and act as role models, showing the next generation what is possible with dedication and opportunity.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the significant role Latinas play in our nation’s economic growth, we applaud the women who are strengthening our city, local communities and beyond.

These women are not just contributing to the economy; they are giving life to it.

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Elizabeth Romero is the managing director of business banking and Central and Southwest Region executive at Bank of America Houston.

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