Eveliqure Biotechnologies has begun dosing participants in a Phase 2b clinical trial of its oral ShigETEC vaccine, designed to protect against shigellosis and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) infections—two leading causes of bacterial diarrheal disease globally. Conducted at Johns Hopkins University under a U.S. IND and NIAID contract, the randomized, double-blind study will assess safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy using a Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM). ShigETEC, a live attenuated vaccine, previously showed promising safety and immune response in adults and children in earlier trials. This Phase 2b trial marks a key step toward global deployment of a vaccine that addresses urgent unmet needs in both public and travel health, especially as antibiotic-resistant Shigella strains become more prevalent.
Eveliqure Biotechnologies is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative vaccines to prevent infectious diseases with significant global impact. Using proprietary vaccine technologies, Eveliqure is advancing candidates against enteric pathogens such as Shigella and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) – major causes of diarrheal illness in both low-resource settings and among travelers from high-income countries.
Shigella and ETEC are leading bacterial causes of diarrhoeal diseases worldwide, causing an estimated 200 million diarrhoea cases in children under five years of age. Infection with Shigella and ETEC can cause stunted growth among children, which has been linked to detrimental long-term health, developmental, and economic outcomes. No effective vaccines against these two pathogens exist and previous attempts to develop vaccines against Shigella and ETEC have failed.
Read the full press release here.
