Dr David L Hoey

Five Aussie startups that raised $95.45 million this week

Weekly roundup detailing five Australian raises: Vaxxas' Series D plus debt facility amid executive changes, Skutopia's growth round, Send Payments' backing and CEO change, Apate.ai's seed, and Coursebox's seed.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Australian FinTech·Dealroom·Startup Daily

Vaccination biotech Vaxxas raises $49 million Series D, cuts C-suite amid broader layoffs

Australian biotech Vaxxas secured a Series D plus a debt facility while overhauling leadership: a new chair, founding CEO shifting to an advisory role, and CFO made redundant amid job cuts.

Also Business News Australia·SmartCompany·Cut Through Venture·Startup Daily·Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Vaxxas secures ~A$90 million in funding to commercialise needle-free vaccination delivery technology

Vaxxas announced a roughly A$90m financing — Series D equity led by SPRIM Global Investments plus debt — to advance its needle-free vaccine patch, alongside leadership changes including a new chair.

Vaxxas Completes Enrollment for Largest Clinical Trial of High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) For Vaccine Delivery

Vaxxas has finished enrolling 258 volunteers in its Phase I trial of a needle-free HD-MAP avian flu vaccine, funded by a US BARDA contract, with early findings due mid-2025.

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Vaxxas Completes Enrollment for Largest Clinical Trial of High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) For Vaccine Delivery

Vaxxas has filled its 258-person Phase I trial of a needle-free avian flu vaccine patch, run under a US$28.5 million US government contract; the post also recounts the company's early backing.

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Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed

Roundup of short industry items: Element 25 and Vaxxas win US government grants, Orthocell gets an R&D refund, Convergence Medical completes its Series A, and Monique Conheady takes a Hysata board seat.

Also Startup Daily

Vaxxas Named Stage Winner of United States’ BARDA Prize to Advance Microarray Patches for Vaccination

Vaxxas has won the concept stage of BARDA's Patch Forward Prize, earning US$2 million (A$3.2 million) to progress its microarray patch vaccine platform alongside the University of Queensland's BASE facility.

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Vaxxas Named Stage Winner of United States' BARDA Prize to Advance Microarray Patches for Vaccination

Vaxxas wins US$2 million as a concept-stage winner of BARDA's prize to advance its skin-patch vaccine platform with UQ's BASE facility; the article also recalls early backing by OneVentures, Brandon Capital and HealthCare Ventures.

Also Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·Brandon Capital portfolio·Brandon BioCatalyst portfolio·@AuManufacturing·@AuManufacturing·Business News Australia

Vaxxas licenses RSV vaccine candidate

Vaxxas, a Brisbane biotech, has taken a worldwide licence from the US NIH to an RSV antigen candidate, aiming to advance it toward a Phase I study; another trial runs with BARDA funding.

Vaxxas Announces and Publishes Successful Phase I Clinical Trial for Measles and Rubella Vaccine Delivered Using its Proprietary High-Density Microarray Skin Patch; Plan for Phase I/II Trial in The Gambia, Africa

Vaxxas reports positive Phase I results for its needle-free skin-patch delivery of a measles-rubella vaccine, with Gates Foundation grant funding and a planned PATH-sponsored Phase I/II trial in The Gambia.

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Vaxxas awarded $5.4 million for typhoid vaccine clinical studies

Brisbane vaccine patch maker Vaxxas won a $5.4 million Wellcome grant for studies and a Phase I trial of a typhoid vaccine using its HD-MAP technology, developed with SK bioscience.

Vaxxas opens new Brisbane manufacturing facility

Vaxxas, with Queensland Government backing, has opened its Brisbane global headquarters and vaccine patch manufacturing facility, supported by state and federal government funding.

Vaxxas Announces Interim Phase I Study Results for First Needle-Free HD-MAP COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaxxas reports encouraging interim Phase I results for its needle-free microarray-patch COVID-19 vaccine, with strong antibody responses and no serious adverse events, ahead of planned regulatory applications in Australia and the US.

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Vaxxas Appoints Dr. Rochelle Chaiken as Chief Medical Officer

Vaxxas hires former Pfizer medical executive Dr Rochelle Chaiken as its chief medical officer; the announcement also recounts the biotech's founding financing and later rounds.

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Vaxxas Appoints Dr. Rochelle Chaiken as Chief Medical Officer

Vaxxas has appointed 23-year Pfizer veteran Dr Rochelle Chaiken as chief medical officer; the announcement also recaps the vaccine-patch company's early backing by OneVentures, Brandon Capital and others.

Vaxxas makes two big announcements at Boston biotech expo

Vaxxas appointed Dr Rochelle Chaiken, a former Pfizer executive, as Chief Medical Officer, and reported positive interim Phase 1 trial results for its needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch at the Boston biotech convention.

Vaxxas initiates Phase I study for needle-free seasonal influenza vaccine delivered using High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP)

Vaxxas has begun an Australian Phase I trial of its needle-free influenza vaccine patch. The article also recalls the company's founding equity financing led by OneVentures with Brandon Capital Partners and other co-investors.

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Coming in from the cold: needle-free patch technology for mRNA vaccines aims to end need for frozen storage and improve access

Vaxxas partners with CEPI, which will fund preclinical testing of its needle-free vaccine patch for mRNA vaccines, work that could remove cold-storage needs and widen global access to such vaccines.

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Vaxxas Raises US$23 million (A$34 million) to Clinically Advance Needle-Free Vaccines, Including a Next-Generation COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

Vaxxas completed a US$23 million (A$34 million) financing led by OneVentures and UniQuest to advance its needle-free vaccine clinical programs, including a COVID-19 candidate, with board members, management and individual investors also participating.

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Vaxxas Announces Initiation of Phase I Clinical Study of First Needle-Free COVID-19 Vaccine Delivered Using High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP)

Vaxxas has begun an Australian Phase I trial of its needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch, built on a University of Texas at Austin candidate; the article also recalls the company's early financings led by OneVentures.

Vaxxas Announces Initiation of Phase I Clinical Study of First Needle-Free COVID-19 Vaccine Delivered Using High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP)

Vaxxas has begun an Australian Phase I trial of its needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch; the article also recalls the company's founding financing led by OneVentures with Brandon Capital and other co-investors.

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First Aussies to get needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch

Vaxxas has begun a phase one trial in Australia of its needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch. The Brisbane company, backed by OneVentures, Brandon Capital and others, has hired Scott Fry from Ellume as COO.

First Aussies to get needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch

Brisbane biotech Vaxxas has begun human testing of its microneedle patch for COVID-19 vaccination and plans a phase two study; the venture-backed company has raised over $66 million.

Vaxxas receives MMI grant for vaccine patch production

Also @AuManufacturing

Vaxxas Licenses HexaPro Spike Glycoprotein from University of Texas at Austin for Use on its Needle-Free Vaccine Patches

Vaxxas has exclusively licensed UT Austin's HexaPro spike protein for a needle-free COVID-19 vaccine patch, backed by an NIH license, with a Phase 1 trial planned this year; background notes its founding backers.

Vaxxas Announces US$22 Million (A$30.6 Million) Award from U.S. Government to Advance Vaxxas Needle-Free HD-MAP™ Vaccine Patch Technology for Pandemic Response

Vaxxas has received a US$22 million (A$30.6 million) US government BARDA award to advance its needle-free vaccine patch for pandemic use; earlier financing led by OneVentures with Brandon Capital is recalled.

Vaxxas Announces US$22 Million (A$30.6 Million) Award from U.S. Government to Advance Vaxxas Needle-Free HD-MAP™ Vaccine Patch Technology for Pandemic Response

Biotech Vaxxas has won a US government award via BARDA worth US$22 million to advance its needle-free vaccine patch for pandemic influenza; the piece recalls founding backing from OneVentures, Brandon Capital, MRCF and HealthCare Ventures.

Merck to use Australian platform technology for unnamed “vaccine candidate”

Also Startup News (WA)

Vaxxas Awarded US$5 million Grant for Clinical Study of Measles and Rubella Vaccination

Vaxxas received a Gates Foundation grant to run first-in-human trials of its microneedle patch vaccine for measles and rubella, building on an earlier preclinical grant from the same funder.

Also Brandon Capital portfolio

Vaxxas raises $25m in Series B financing

Vaxxas completed a $25 million Series B led by OneVentures, lifting total capital to $40 million, to advance its needle-free Nanopatch vaccine delivery technology toward first clinical studies.

$25 million funding round gives Queensland vaccine biotech Vaxxas a boost

Vaxxas, a Queensland biotech developing needle-free vaccine patches, has banked a $25 million Series B led by OneVentures, following an earlier $15 million Series A round.

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