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Funding Arrangement
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Funding Arrangement [Abstract]  
Funding Arrangement

12. Funding Arrangement

In July 2019, we received a cost-reimbursement research award from Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (“CARB-X”), a public-private partnership funded under a Cooperative Agreement from Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response/Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (“BARDA”) and by awards from Wellcome Trust, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the United Kingdom Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In connection with this funding, we entered into a cost-reimbursement sub-award agreement with the Trustees of Boston University, the administrator of the program. The initial award provided the potential for funding up to four years to develop a universal vaccine to prevent infections caused by Group A Strep bacteria, which include pharyngitis, impetigo and necrotizing fasciitis. The initial award committed initial funding of up to $1.6 million for our VAX-A1 program and, subject to a CARB-X decision to extend the options, up to $15.1 million in total funding available upon achievement of development milestones over the next four years. Specified research expenditures are reimbursable expenses associated with agreed-upon activities needed to advance the research project supported by the grant. These expenditures can include labor, laboratory supplies, travel, consulting and third-party vendor research and development support costs. CARB-X has awarded us total funding to date of $6.6 million, with potential funding of up to $29.7 million upon the achievement of future VAX-A1 development milestones. In January 2022, CARB-X revised the parameters for the contribution of CARB-X funding and implemented maximum funding levels for all grant recipients. As a result, our total funding available upon achievement of development milestones through Phase 1 human clinical trials was revised from $29.7 million to $14.6 million.

In April 2021, we received a cost-reimbursement research award from the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”). In connection with this funding, we entered into a cost-reimbursement sub-award agreement with the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the administrator of the program. The award provides for potential funding up to five years totaling approximately $0.5 million to develop a vaccine to prevent infections caused by Shigella.

Income from grants is recognized in the period during which the related specified expenses are incurred, provided that the conditions under which the grants were provided have been met. We recognized $1.9 million, $1.6 million and $2.5 million of grant income and recorded the amounts in Other income (expense), net in the statement of operations during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 respectively. A grant receivable of $1.0 million and $1.2 million representing unreimbursed, eligible costs incurred under the CARB-X agreement was recorded and included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets in the balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.