What Sequoia Sciences does

Sequoia Vaccines, Inc. is a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (11775 Borman Drive, Suite 100), operating as a spinoff of Sequoia Sciences, which was founded in San Diego in 1999 and reconstituted as Sequoia Vaccines, Inc. in 2012 to focus on the FimH vaccine for recurrent urinary tract infections. The company develops a portfolio of three therapeutic programs anchored by a proprietary plant-based compound discovery platform developed in partnership with the Missouri Botanical Garden: SEQ-400, a FimH adhesin-protein vaccine that received FDA Fast Track Designation in 2017 and completed Phase 1A/1B clinical studies in 2020 showing approximately 70 percent reduction in recurrent UTIs; SEQ-1274, a novel microtubule inhibitor small molecule platform active against over 50 human cancer cell lines including taxane-resistant lines, advancing through IND-enabling preclinical optimization for ovarian/uterine and other cancers; and a novel small molecule drug platform (SEQ-1150) targeting PilY1 and type IV pili to inhibit P. aeruginosa biofilms for lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, currently in preclinical development.

The intellectual property estate comprises 12 issued U.S. patents covering vaccine and adjuvant composition and method-of-use claims, supported by over 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications and more than 15 research collaborations with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic partners including Washington University School of Medicine. Under FDA Fast Track designation and a separate compassionate use authorization for life-threatening UTIs (four patients dosed to date), the commercialization plan contemplates an observational lead-in study followed by a Phase 2/3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of SEQ-400 in 2025, with oncology and cystic fibrosis programs advancing in parallel.

Sequoia's business model is pre-revenue by design: as a clinical-stage pharmaceutical developer, it anticipates generating revenue from FDA-approved vaccine and small molecule products via standard pharmaceutical distribution channels, with future pricing to be determined upon regulatory approval. Capitalization has been primarily backed by early individual investors including Michael J. Mertz, who has participated in the majority of financing rounds, with one disclosed institutional regional event of $72,000 from St. Louis Arch Angels in 2020. The company is led by President and CEO Kevin B. Bacon, Ph.D. (appointed following the in-memoriam passing of co-founder and former CEO Gary Eldridge) and supported by a scientific advisory board that includes National Academy of Sciences member Scott J. Hultgren, PhD and UTI key opinion leader Thomas M. Hooton, MD.

Name

Sequoia Sciences

Legal name

Sequoia Vaccines, Inc.

Website

https://www.sequoiavaccines.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sequoia Vaccines, Inc. is a privately held clinical-stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, developing a FimH vaccine for recurrent urinary tract infections, a microtubule inhibitor for ovarian and other cancers, and small molecules for cystic fibrosis lung infections, using a proprietary plant-based compound discovery platform backed by 12 issued U.S. patents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-stage Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Vaccine Technology Platforms (mRNA, viral vector, protein subunit, inactivated/live-attenuated, VLP, DNA) (HLAAAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Development & Regulatory for Vaccines (trials, pharmacovigilance, lot release) (HLAAAEAK)

Keywords

• Clinical-stage pharmaceutical
• Vaccine development
• Oncology therapeutics
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Small molecule drugs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vaccine Development and Commercialization: Pre-revenue clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. Revenue expected from FDA-approved vaccine products, initially SEQ-400 for recurrent UTIs, pending successful completion of clinical trials and regulatory approval.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sequoia Vaccines, Inc. is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel vaccines and small-molecule therapeutics. Its lead asset SEQ-400 is a FimH-based vaccine for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections (Phase 2/3 planned 2025); SEQ-1274 is a small-molecule microtubule inhibitor for ovarian/uterine and other cancers; and a third small-molecule program targets P. aeruginosa biofilms in cystic fibrosis lung infections.

Product overview

Sequoia Vaccines, Inc. is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company offering a portfolio of three distinct therapeutic programs: (1) SEQ-400, a FimH vaccine for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) that has completed Phase 1 and is entering Phase 2; (2) SEQ-1274, a novel microtubule inhibitor small molecule platform for the treatment of ovarian and other cancers in preclinical/IND-enabling stages; and (3) a Novel Small Molecule Drug Platform (SEQ-1150) targeting bacterial biofilms for the treatment of lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients, currently in preclinical development. The company derives its pipeline from plant-based compound discovery technologies developed since 1999.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SEQ-400 FimH Vaccine A FimH vaccine consisting of the FimH bacterial adhesin protein and adjuvant that creates an immune response to prevent bacteria from colonizing the urinary tract. Being developed for prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant E. coli. Completed Phase 1A/1B with ~70% reduction in recurrent UTIs; FDA Fast Track designation since 2017; Phase 2/3 planned for 2025.
• SEQ-1274 Drug Platform A novel small-molecule microtubule inhibitor platform derived from chemically synthesized analogs of plant-derived compounds. SEQ-1274 binds to the colchicine-binding site on tubulin and is being developed as a potential treatment for ovarian and other cancers, with activity demonstrated against over 50 human cancer cell lines including taxane-resistant cell lines, and reported to be 5–1,000x more active than paclitaxel in several cell lines.
• Novel Small Molecule Drug Platform (SEQ-1150) for Cystic Fibrosis A preclinical-stage platform optimizing novel lead compounds derived from plant-based molecules for the treatment of lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. The compounds target PilY1 (master regulator of P. aeruginosa virulence) and type IV pili to inhibit biofilm formation and spreading, and are reported to be synergistic with certain antibiotics against swarming biofilm populations of gram-negative bacteria.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~70% reduction in total recurrent UTI and UTI caused by E. coli in Phase 1B study
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Missouri Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with the Missouri Botanical Garden in Saint Louis, Missouri enabling application of Sequoia's purification and characterization technologies to plants from around the world. This partnership led to the discovery of dozens of new chemical scaffolds inspiring the vaccines program and enabling new programs to treat cancer and bacterial infections.
• Washington University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Washington University led by Dr. Katherine C. Fuh examining SEQ-1274 potential against ovarian and uterine cancers. Washington University research published in Gynecologic Oncology journal (2018) demonstrated SEQ-1274 was more active against ovarian and uterine cancer cell lines compared to paclitaxel.
• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMore than 15 research collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and universities. R&D studies published in more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vaxcyte: Clinical-stage vaccine company developing protein-conjugate and protein-subunit vaccines against bacterial infections, the closest analogue to Sequoia's FimH vaccine approach, with a similar pipeline-stage and bacterial-infection focus.
• Iterum Therapeutics: Clinical-stage anti-infective company developing oral and IV antibiotics specifically for complicated and uncomplicated UTIs, addressing the same patient population as SEQ-400 but with antibiotics rather than a vaccine.
• Valneva: Specialty vaccine developer focused on travel and infectious disease vaccines with a comparable clinical-stage profile and bacterial/vaccine R&D orientation, useful as a public-market valuation and development-stage benchmark.
• ImmunoGen: Oncology company with a developed ovarian cancer franchise (Elahere), directly relevant for benchmarking clinical, regulatory, and commercial pathways for Sequoia's SEQ-1274 ovarian/uterine cancer program.
• Clovis Oncology: Oncology company that developed Rubraca for ovarian cancer and shares the high-grade serous ovarian cancer patient population targeted by SEQ-1274, useful for clinical and commercial comparability despite a different mechanism.
• PharmaMar: European oncology company with Yondelis approved for ovarian cancer and a pipeline oriented around difficult-to-treat solid tumors, providing a relevant comparator for a small-cap, single-mechanism oncology developer.

Broad incumbents

• Novavax: Established vaccine developer using recombinant protein and nanoparticle technology, a broader incumbent that uses platforms mechanistically adjacent to Sequoia's protein-subunit FimH vaccine and serves as a public-market comparable.
• Moderna: Large mRNA vaccine and therapeutics platform with significant resources and pipeline breadth, useful as a benchmark for vaccine platform economics and clinical execution at scale.
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Dominant player in cystic fibrosis with $7.6B in 2021 CF medicine sales and a deep pipeline against P. aeruginosa lung infections, defining the competitive bar for Sequoia's SEQ-1150 biofilm program.
• GSK: Global vaccines leader with a portfolio including bacterial and travel vaccines plus oncology assets, representing a likely strategic acquirer or partner benchmark for Sequoia's vaccine and oncology programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sequoia-sciences-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Sequoia Sciences