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ReNewVax

ReNewVax is a pioneering bacterial vaccine company focused on combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Company’s lead program (RVX-001) is, potentially, the first universal vaccine for pneumococcal infections.

Streptococcus pneumoniae, commonly known as the pneumococcus, is the cause of life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, which can be spread asymptomatically, leading to over 1.9 million deaths every year. Pneumococcal infection is the third leading cause of death from bacterial infection globally and, critically, the fourth leading cause of death associated with AMR.

Current pneumococcal vaccines, such as Appexnar® and Capvaxive®, are only effective against 20% of the ca.100 pneumococcus variants. This limited coverage results in a phenomenon known as serotype replacement, whereby existing vaccines lose their effectiveness over time. A low-cost, universal vaccine, protective against all variants, overcomes this problem and is the key approach to lowering infection rates and minimising antimicrobial resistance.

ReNewVax, spun-out from the University’s Institute for Infection Veterinary and Environmental Sciences in 2022, is headquartered at Liverpool Science Park.

The mission of ReNewVax is to improve global health by developing broad-coverage, cost-effective vaccines that tackle antimicrobial resistance at its source. Their lead program, RVX-001, in addition to being a universal vaccine, is designed to be inexpensive to manufacture at scale, opening up access globally - particularly in countries which cannot currently afford mass pneumococcal vaccination programs.

ReNewVax has successfully raised approximately £2.6 million in seed funding, which includes contributions from the University of Liverpool's Enterprise Investment Fund, Innovate UK, LYVA Labs, QUBIS and a US investor. ReNewVax is currently raising Series A investment of £15 million to support early clinical-stage development of RVX-001.

RVX-001is expected to enter clinical trials in 2027, marking a significant step in its development.  

ReNewVax’s contribution to the rising challenge of antimicrobial resistance is a key focus for the University of Liverpool and a particular strength of Liverpool City Region, which boasts world-class infectious disease capabilities from research through to large-scale manufacturing.

ReNewVax highlights:

  • Sector: Vaccines
  • £2.6M seed funding.