The NIH/NIAID awarded up to $40 million to Vitalex Biosciences and The Lundquist Institute to advance VXV‑01, a dual‑antigen fungal vaccine targeting Candida species and key Gram‑negative pathogens, into manufacturing and two Phase I clinical trials. The contract supports development activities tied to manufacturing, trial preparations and potential clinical evaluation, and reflects federal priority on hospital‑acquired, drug‑resistant infections.