Immuno Cure

What Immuno Cure does

Immuno Cure is a Hong Kong-based clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2015 that develops DNA-based immunotherapeutic vaccines. Its lead asset, ICVAX, is an investigational HIV-1 vaccine designed to achieve long-term viral suppression without requiring daily combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), differentiating the platform from direct antiviral approaches. The company is exploring potential extension of the underlying immunotherapeutic mechanism into cancer applications. Scientific leadership is anchored by Prof. Zhiwei Chen, Co-founder and Principal Scientific Advisor from The University of Hong Kong, with Xia Jin serving as CEO and a multi-founder team including Andy Wong, Tom Lau, Percy Cheng, and Peter Tang.

The company operates within the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) ecosystem and conducts clinical research through a long-standing collaboration with The University of Hong Kong alongside multiple hospitals and research institutions across Hong Kong and Mainland China. As a pre-revenue biotech, Immuno Cure's business model anticipates future revenue from vaccine commercialization, licensing royalties, or pharmaceutical partnerships. Go-to-market activity is concentrated in scientific conference participation (BIO 2026, BioCentury-BayHelix East-West Summit) and clinical/research institution partnerships to advance pipeline assets through development.

Capitalization has been built primarily through non-dilutive and equity funding, including a HK$66.7 million grant from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (2024), equity from Gobi Partners GBA (2023), and HKSTP support. The company is preparing for a potential Hong Kong public listing in H2 2026 following a pre-IPO funding round, and signed a strategic partnership with OPIS in June 2026 to enable overseas clinical trial execution for ICVAX and other pipeline products.

Name

Immuno Cure

Website

https://immunocure.hk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Immuno Cure is a Hong Kong-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing DNA-based immunotherapeutic vaccines, with lead asset ICVAX targeting long-term HIV-1 viral suppression without daily antiretroviral therapy, in collaboration with The University of Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceutical Vaccines

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Therapeutic Vaccines (cancer, chronic infection immunotherapy) (HLAAAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vaccine Technology Platforms (mRNA, viral vector, protein subunit, inactivated/live-attenuated, VLP, DNA) (HLAAAEAD), HIV/AIDS Medicine (HLAKAGAB), Immunization & Vaccine Delivery Programs (BPADAIAB)

Keywords

• HIV immunotherapy vaccine
• DNA vaccine platform
• Clinical vaccine development
• Biopharmaceutical research
• Infectious disease therapeutics

Headquarters

HQ city

Sha Tin

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pre-revenue R&D Stage: Immuno Cure is a pre-revenue biotech company currently in the research and clinical trial phase. The company is planning a Hong Kong listing in H2 2026 after completing a pre-IPO funding round. Future revenue will likely come from vaccine commercialization, licensing, or pharmaceutical partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Immuno Cure is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing ICVAX, a DNA-based immunotherapeutic vaccine designed to achieve a functional cure for HIV-1 by re-educating the immune system to recognize and control the virus without daily antiretroviral therapy. The company's pipeline targets infectious disease through proprietary vaccine constructs combining HIV antigen delivery with immune checkpoint modulation. Products are in clinical trial phase with planned Phase II trials (ICVAX-2) for treatment interruption outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ICVAX: Immunotherapeutic HIV vaccine being developed for HIV-1 control without cART, with potential for long-term viral suppression.

Products and services

• ICVAX (HIV-1 DNA Immunotherapeutic Vaccine) A DNA-based immunotherapeutic vaccine candidate targeting HIV-1, designed to re-educate the host immune system to recognize and control the virus without continuous antiretroviral therapy. The product combines engineered HIV envelope antigens with immune checkpoint modulation (PD-1 blockade) and is intended for HIV-positive patients seeking functional cure. Currently in clinical development with Phase I completed and Phase II (ICVAX-2) planned.

Quantifiable outcome

• Long-term viral suppression without cART

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OPIScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Immuno Cure signed a partnership agreement with OPIS at BIO 2026 for overseas clinical trial execution. This partnership enables the company to conduct international clinical trials for its ICVAX vaccine and other pipeline products outside of Hong Kong, supporting global development strategy.
• The University of Hong KongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmuno Cure and The University of Hong Kong have a long-standing research collaboration led by Prof. Zhiwei Chen. The partnership has secured HK$66.7 million in funding from the Research Grants Council for a second 5-year term to develop the ICVAX immunotherapeutic HIV vaccine. The research involves clinical trials with collaboration with hospitals and institutions in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
• HKSTP (Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmuno Cure is a park company within HKSTP and participates in their delegations to international biotech events including BIO 2026. HKSTP provides support for cross-border startup support and facilitates strategic partnerships for park companies at major industry events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GeoVax Labs: GeoVax is a clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutic vaccines for HIV using a novel Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) platform, with active programs targeting functional cure / viral suppression without cART. Directly comparable as a small-cap therapeutic HIV vaccine developer with similar clinical-stage positioning and indication overlap with ICVAX.
• Inovio Pharmaceuticals: Inovio is a clinical-stage biotech specializing in DNA-based vaccine and immunotherapy platforms, including HIV vaccine candidates. Most directly comparable peer given shared DNA vaccine technology foundation, similar pre-revenue clinical stage, and overlapping therapeutic vaccine pipeline approach.
• Geneos Therapeutics: Geneos is a clinical-stage biotech developing personalized DNA-based cancer vaccines using a neoantigen-targeted immunotherapeutic platform. Directly comparable as a DNA-vaccine platform developer pursuing immunotherapeutic oncology indications, representing the cancer-expansion optionality thesis for Immuno Cure's platform.

Broad incumbents

• ViiV Healthcare: ViiV Healthcare (majority-owned by GSK, with Pfizer and Shionogi) is the global HIV specialty pharmaceutical leader, marketing the leading cART regimens. Relevant incumbent peer that defines the competitive treatment landscape ICVAX must displace or complement, and a likely licensing partner if ICVAX shows clinical proof-of-concept.
• Moderna: Moderna is developing mRNA-based HIV vaccines (including Phase 1 trials with IAVI) and represents the dominant well-capitalized competitor advancing therapeutic HIV vaccine modalities. Comparable as a vaccine developer targeting HIV using a novel nucleic-acid platform, though far broader and better resourced than Immuno Cure.
• Gilead Sciences: Gilead is the dominant HIV therapeutics company (Biktarvy, lenacapavir, Sunlenca) and a major potential partner or acquirer for any successful HIV functional cure asset. Comparable as the commercial benchmark ICVAX must outperform and the most likely Big Pharma exit counterparty.
• Johnson & Johnson (Janssen): Janssen has active HIV vaccine programs including the mosaic-based Imbokodo and Mosaico trials, representing a major pharmaceutical competitor in therapeutic and preventive HIV vaccines. Comparable as a deep-pocketed incumbent developing HIV vaccine modalities at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• CureVac: CureVac develops mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics, including infectious disease vaccine programs. Comparable as a nucleic-acid vaccine platform developer with similar underlying technology philosophy to Immuno Cure's DNA-based platform, providing a relevant technology-stack benchmark.
• American Gene Technologies: AGT is developing gene and cell therapy approaches for HIV functional cure, with Phase 1 clinical programs targeting durable viral remission without cART. Comparable as a smaller clinical-stage peer pursuing functional HIV cure through novel biological approaches.

Regional players

• ImmunoBiology (Pribiotech's HIV therapeutic vaccine programs): A Hong Kong/Asia-based biotech developing therapeutic vaccines for infectious diseases including HIV, with overlapping scientific approach and regional ecosystem positioning. Comparable as a geographically adjacent peer within the Hong Kong/Asia biotech ecosystem working on immunotherapeutic HIV approaches.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Immuno Cure