Painless Progress: Immuno Cure and PharmaJet Unveil Needle-Free HIV Vaccine Breakthrough

Unknown Apr 02, 2026 950 Views

Immuno Cure BioTech and PharmaJet have formed a historic collaboration to further develop a needle-free DNA-based therapeutic HIV vaccine, marking a major milestone in the pursuit of an HIV cure. The collaboration, completed on June 16, 2025, at the BIO International Convention in Boston, will see Immuno Cure's pioneering ICVAX vaccine delivered by PharmaJet's WHO-prequalified Tropis® needle-free injection system in upcoming clinical trials.

ICVAX, produced by Hong Kong firm Immuno Cure, employs a PD-1-Enhanced DNA Vaccine platform to generate strong and lasting immune responses aimed at achieving virological control of HIV in the absence of lifetime ART. The vaccine was extremely safe and clinically promising in its first Phase 1 human trial, the second phase to define the added value of needle-free intradermal delivery.

PharmaJet's Tropis technology, already utilized for over 12 million injections globally, painlessly and accurately delivers vaccines by targeting the dense web of immune cells just beneath the skin to produce a more powerful, more complete response than with traditional muscle injections. The approach is expected to enhance patient tolerance and vaccine effectiveness, and advance global commercialization and distribution.

The new trial will be conducted at Hong Kong's Prince of Wales Hospital by CUHK Professor Grace Lui, with the support of the AIDS Institute of the Hong Kong University and government grants. The two companies emphasized their commitment to the creation of patient-focused, innovative vaccine solutions to key global health concerns.

Key Highlights

Immuno Cure and PharmaJet collaborated at BIO 2025 to develop a needle-free HIV therapeutic DNA vaccine.
The ICVAX vaccine has been very safe and immunogenic in Phase 1 trials; Phase 2 will evaluate needle-free delivery.
PharmaJet's Tropis system enables pain-free, intradermal vaccine delivery, with potential for increased efficacy and patient comfort.
The clinical trial will be held in Hong Kong, with the aid of the top medical institutions and assistance from the government.
The collaboration accelerates the global commercialization process for ICVAX and reaffirms Hong Kong's role in life sciences innovation.

Source: BusinessWire, PRNewswire, BioSpace, Yahoo Finance, HKSTP News.

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