Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: TNXP) announced the publication of new preclinical research in the peer-reviewed Journal of Virology, demonstrating significant differences in virulence between mpox virus clade IIb, the strain currently circulating in the U.S., and the historic clade IIa strain. The study, conducted at the company's research and development center, identified three new mouse models for investigating mpox pathogenesis and found that the clade IIb isolate is up to 100,000 times less virulent than clade IIa. These findings provide additional tools to evaluate vaccines and other medical countermeasures against mpox.
Tonix stated that the findings support continued development of TNX-801, its live attenuated horsepox virus vaccine candidate for the prevention of mpox and smallpox. The company believes the new animal models will help researchers better understand emerging mpox variants, assess vaccine durability and protective efficacy, and advance efforts to address the ongoing global threat posed by mpox.
The research underscores the importance of understanding virulence differences between mpox clades, as the current outbreak has been driven by clade IIb, which appears to be less severe than historical strains. However, the potential for new variants and the need for effective vaccines remain critical public health priorities. By providing more relevant animal models, Tonix aims to accelerate the development of TNX-801 and other countermeasures.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals is a fully-integrated, commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on central nervous system (CNS) and immunology treatments in areas of high unmet medical need. The company's CNS portfolio includes TONMYA™ for fibromyalgia, while its immunology pipeline features monoclonal antibodies and vaccine candidates. The full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/ZlMkM.
For more information on Tonix Pharmaceuticals, visit the company's newsroom at https://ibn.fm/TNXP. This research represents a significant step in understanding mpox pathogenesis and developing effective vaccines to combat the disease.
