TriLink BioTechnologies® and the International Vaccine Institute Sign a Memorandum of Understanding to Support the Development of mRNA-based Vaccines

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, TriLink BioTechnologies (TriLink®), a Maravai® LifeSciences company (NASDAQ: MRVI) and global provider of life science reagents and services, and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), a non-profit international organization devoted to and the discovery, development and delivery of vaccines for global health signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate to advance the research and development of mRNA-based vaccines and promote equitable access to essential vaccines and health technologies.

"This collaboration will not only advance the science of mRNA-based vaccines but may also significantly enhance access to life-saving vaccines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs),” said Maravai and TriLink’s Chief Commercial Officer, Becky Buzzeo.

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According to the terms of the MOU, TriLink and IVI will enter discussions on collaborative models to develop vaccines using mRNA technologies, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support joint scientific initiatives.

"This collaboration will not only advance the science of mRNA-based vaccines but may also significantly enhance access to life-saving vaccines in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs),” said Maravai and TriLink’s Chief Commercial Officer, Becky Buzzeo. “By combining our expertise in nucleic acids with the International Vaccine Institute's global reach and commitment to public health, we are poised to profoundly impact global health equity. Together, we can accelerate the development and distribution of innovative mRNA vaccines, ensuring that more people, regardless of their geographic location, have access to the critical healthcare they need."

Since its launch in 2017, TriLink’s CleanCap® capping technology has continued to advance the mRNA capping industry and is used in the majority of all approved COVID-19 mRNA and saRNA vaccines. In 2024, TriLink expanded its products and services specifically for customers working in mRNA therapeutics, launching IVT enzymes, including CleanScribe™ RNA polymerase, which has been shown to reduce dsRNA, and opened its commercially ready GMP manufacturing facility in San Diego, California.

IVI, based in Seoul, Korea, is an autonomous international organization established in 1997 as an initiative of the United Nations Development Program. It is dedicated exclusively to vaccines for global health, with a portfolio spanning all stages of pre-clinical and clinical development. Its work focuses on infectious diseases of global health importance, particularly those that disproportionately affect LMICs, including cholera, typhoid, chikungunya, shigella, salmonella, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV, and COVID-19.

“IVI is pleased to partner with TriLink BioTechnologies, a leading provider of life science reagents and services, including its proprietary capping technology that enhances mRNA stability and translation efficiency,” said Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI. “This collaboration will empower the two organizations and our partners to accelerate the development and global delivery of advanced mRNA vaccines, especially to people in LMICs.”

About TriLink BioTechnologies

TriLink BioTechnologies, a Maravai LifeSciences company, is a global leader in nucleic acid and mRNA solutions. TriLink delivers unrivaled chemical and biological experience, CDMO services, and high-quality readymade and custom materials, including its patented CleanCap® mRNA capping technology. Pharmaceutical leaders, biotech disruptors, and world governments depend on TriLink to meet their greatest challenges, from delivering the COVID-19 vaccine at warp speed to empowering innovative treatments in oncology, infectious diseases, cardiology, and neurological disorders to enabling future pandemic response plans.

For more information, visit trilinkbiotech.com

About Maravai LifeSciences

Maravai is a leading life sciences company providing critical products to enable the development of drug therapies, diagnostics, and novel vaccines. Maravai’s companies are leaders in providing products and services in the fields of nucleic acid synthesis and biologics safety testing to many of the world’s leading biopharmaceutical, vaccine, diagnostics, and cell and gene therapy companies.

For more information about Maravai LifeSciences, visit maravai.com

About the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is a non-profit international organization established in 1997 at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines for global health.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines at all stages of pre-clinical and clinical development for infectious diseases that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, such as cholera, typhoid, chikungunya, shigella, salmonella, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV, COVID-19, and more. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine, pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO), and developed a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine that also achieved WHO prequalification in early 2024.

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally co-founded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Ghana, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. 42 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.