This announcement follows an initial collaboration between the companies to advance COVID-19 vaccine development beginning in April 2020. VLA2001 is a Vero-cell based inactivated vaccine that leverages Valneva's manufacturing technology. CpG 1018 is the adjuvant used in Heplisav-B, the adult hepatitis B recombinant vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The combination of VLA2001 with CpG 1018 is expected to induce a strong immune response and high titers of neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine candidate is expected to enter clinical studies by the end of 2020 and to potentially reach regulatory approval in the second half of 2021.

Valneva has also signed an agreement with the U.K. government to provide up to 190 million doses of VLA2001 over a five-year period. Dynavax will supply enough adjuvant to produce up to 100 million doses of the vaccine in 2021. Valneva has the option to purchase up to an additional 90 million doses through 2025.