AIBN races 100-day challenge to develop world-first Chapare virus vaccine
Published on: 16 April 2025
Chappell Group
Utilising Molecular Clamp technology to research and develop vaccines
The Chappell Group, led by Group Leader Professor Keith Chappell, is primarily focused on research and development of vaccines for medically important viruses utilising Molecular Clamp technology.
The second-generation Molecular Clamp platform enables the rapid generation of protein subunit vaccines, which have proven to be safe, elicit an effective immune response, are cost effective with high manufacturability, and are remarkably thermal stable. The Chappell Lab has delivered high-quality development of the Molecular Clamp technology since the group’s inception in 2019, and has since launched five high yield, high purity, and thermostable protein subunit vaccine candidates to Phase I clinical Trials – across both Public health pandemic response through a bespoke Rapid Response Vaccine Pipeline, and for commercial development.
The Chappell team conducts contract research for Molecular Clamp IP holder, Sanofi on the preclinical development of multivalent vaccines for respiratory viruses. Preclinical development of these vaccine candidates in the Chappell lab contributed substantially to the acquisition of Vicebio by Sanofi in 2025.
Additional research undertaken within the Chappell group is focused on understanding medically and environmentally important viruses. Such projects include the discovery of monoclonal antibodies for use as diagnostics and therapeutics, and research into Koala retrovirus and its impacts the health of Australia’s wild koala populations.
Research Areas
- Vaccines
- Molecular clamp technology
- Monoclonal antibodies
Research Approach
Additional research undertaken within the Chappell group is focused on understanding medically and environmentally important viruses. Such projects include the discovery of monoclonal antibodies for use as diagnostics and therapeutics, research into Koala retrovirus and its impacts the health of Australia’s wild koala populations, and pre-clinical development of a vaccine for Human T- Lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1).
Research Highlights
Research Projects
-
ViceBio
January 2019–December 2027 -
Rapid Response Vaccine Pipeline
January 2019–December 2026 -
KORV
January 2007–December 2027 -
Preclinical Development of a vaccine for HTLV-1
January 2019–December 2026
