New York, USA – 8th September 2025
GPN Vaccines is pleased to announce it has received AU$4.7 million from the Australian Federal Government’s R&D Tax Incentive program, as a result of the eligible R&D the Company conducted during the 2025 financial year.
The receipt of AU$4.7 million will boost support for development of Gamma-PNTM, GPN Vaccines’ serotype-independent vaccine for preventing bacterial pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae – the world’s foremost bacterial pathogen.
Gamma-PN is a whole cell vaccine that differs radically from currently available pneumococcal vaccines. Instead of being comprised of a mixture of pneumococcal polysaccharide capsular antigens from approximately 20 different serotypes of S. pneumoniae, Gamma-PN is designed to trigger immune responses to all serotypes. It does this by inducing antibodies against non-capsular antigens, principally proteins present in the more than 100 different serotypes of S. pneumoniae, thereby offering much broader immunity.
While Pfizer’s Prevnar-20 and related pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccines are acknowledged global blockbusters generating more than US$6 billion in annual revenues; a recent article1 from Japan highlighted the prevalence in Japanese children of serotypes not covered by Prevnar-20 was a staggering 77.9%. This highlights the limited impact of polysaccharide conjugate vaccines due to the rapid emergence of replacement serotypes. Gamma-PN is designed to offer a solution, providing enduring and broad-spectrum protection against all pneumococci irrespective of strain serotype.2
GPN Vaccines’ Chairman and CEO, Dr Tim Hirst said “The Australian Government’s R&D Tax Incentive program is one of the most generous programs globally for supporting development of innovative and commercially driven research. This year’s refund will assist us tremendously as we pursue the goal of seeking to overcome limited serotype coverage offered by conventional polysaccharide based pneumococcal vaccines ”.
GPN Vaccines’ Chief Financial Officer, James Selkirk, added “It is a boon each year to receive the Australian Government’s R&D Tax Incentive refund, strengthening our balance sheet and enabling us to pursue our ambitious R&D programs through recycling funds.”
1Kawaguchiya, M et al (2024) Serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children in Japan, 2023. New Microbes and New Infections 62, 101513.
2Brazel, EB et al (2024) Whole-cell pneumococcal vaccines: a future proof approach to overcoming pneumococcal serotype replacement. Vaccine Insights 3(1), 17-22.
About GPN Vaccines Inc
GPN Vaccines Inc. is a clinical stage Delaware C-corporation developing vaccines against innovative bacterial vaccines, with its lead vaccine targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae is responsible for causing life-threatening pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis, as well as otitis media (middle ear infections) and each year causes 1-2 million deaths worldwide, killing more children than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. There are now more than 100 different serotypes of S. pneumoniae and the best vaccine currently on the market only protects against 21 of them. GPN Vaccines’ product, called Gamma-PN, is being developed to protect children and adults against all S. pneumoniae strains, regardless of serotype.
Media Contact:
Tim Hirst
Chief Executive Officer
tim@gpnvaccines.com
+61 420 942 824
