Artificial Cell Technologies, Inc. (ACT) was established in New Haven, Connecticut in 2006 to commercialize applications of its proprietary multilayer polypeptide nanofilm technology. Development of the technology began in 2001 by Dr. Donald Haynie at Louisiana Tech University where the techniques to design and construct stable, controllable, and versatile popypeptide nanofilms using reliable layer-by-layer assembly method were perfected. This method allows for the creation of nanofilms on surfaces of virtually any shape or size, including films or coatings on flat surfaces as well as films on round template particles which create micro- or nano-particles or capsules. ACT has exclusively licensed this technology from Louisiana Tech University.

ACT’s lead product candidates are vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and malaria. Our development programs in both RSV and malaria include collaborations with top academic as well as government partners.

ACT will begin its first human clinical trial of its malaria vaccine candidate in the fourth quarter of 2017.  The candidate vaccine utilizes ACT’s proprietary ultra-thin multilayer polypeptide nano-films.  Advantages of ACT’s vaccine technology include:

• Increases the immunogenicity of weakly or non-immunogenic antigens without the use of adjuvants
• Reduces antigen dose required for immunization dramatically reducing cost of materials
• Rapid synthetic manufacture with no egg or cell culture required, greatly reducing the chance of contamination and allowing a much faster time to market
• Flexible design and production platform readily allows for multivalent or combination vaccines
• Constructs are shelf stable at room temperature with a long shelf life; no cold chain storage required