Telis Bioscience

Telis Bioscience Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing DNA vaccines. The company was founded with the mission to eradicate the Covid-19 virus and promote health equity by providing an affordable and more durable alternative to current mRNA vaccines like those developed by Pfizer and Moderna.

Telis Bioscience's technology involves using DNA to instruct a patient's cells to produce the antigen-coding mRNA sequence, leading to the production of the antigen protein. This approach offers several advantages over mRNA vaccines. DNA vaccines are stable at room temperature, making them easier to store and transport, especially to remote parts of the world with warm climates where maintaining cold storage is a challenge.

Furthermore, DNA vaccines are simpler and more scalable than mRNA vaccines. They require only two components – saline buffer and plasmid DNA – and can take advantage of existing plasmid DNA manufacturing capacity globally. This allows for quicker and more cost-effective production without the need for building new expensive facilities.

As of April 2022, Telis Bioscience's DNA vaccine candidate, named Alveavax, had completed preclinical trials and was progressing to clinical trials. The company's CEO, Grigory Khimulya, emphasized the importance of speed in pandemic response, stating that current vaccine efforts fall short in solving distribution challenges, especially in regions that have not received adequate doses.