Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (TNXP) announced on Friday its intentions to continue the development of its TNX-801 vaccine candidate, which targets mpox and smallpox. Following this announcement, the stock has seen a 16% increase in pre-market trading.
The World Health Organization recently declared the spread of mpox across multiple African countries a public health emergency of international concern.
TNX-801, derived from a recombinant horsepox virus, is a live attenuated vaccine candidate expected to provide immune protection with better tolerability compared to the 20th-century vaccinia viruses.
Preclinical studies have shown that TNX-801 effectively protects animals from lethal monkeypox virus exposure, demonstrating potential in preventing clinical disease, reducing lesions, and minimizing viral shedding in non-human primates.
This vaccine is designed to offer long-lasting protection with a single dose, and its stability as a live virus vaccine eliminates the need for ultra-cold storage. This is a significant advantage over mRNA vaccines, especially in Africa, where they are critically needed.
Clade II mpox has become endemic in the United States, with over 30,000 reported cases since May 2022.
Additionally, Tonix's vaccine platform has been selected by the NIH's Project NextGen for clinical evaluation.
In pre-market trading on the NYSE, the shares are currently priced at $0.53, marking a 16.54% increase.
