Park People: Dr Surender Vashist, NeoVac

From decoding viruses to developing new vaccines, Dr Surender Vashist from NeoVac talks to us about his journey from academia to industry.

Mesmerised by microorganisms

My fascination with science began during my microbiology degree in Delhi where I was captivated by how microorganisms could be harnessed to improve human health.

That curiosity eventually led to a PhD in virology at Cambridge, followed by post-doctoral research at Imperial College London, where I studied disease interactions.

After several years in academia, I moved into industry. I wanted to apply discoveries to benefit people directly. Since then, I’ve held senior roles at AstraZeneca and Hengrui where I worked on mRNA engineering (instructing the body’s cells to produce specific proteins for therapies) and vaccine platforms before joining NeoVac.

Working on the COVID-19 vaccine

One of my proudest achievements at NeoVac was completing the first phase of a clinical trial for our COVID-19 vaccine candidate. It was an important milestone because it really confirmed the potential of the approach.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about how we can continue to evolve our lipid concept into a robust platform which can build better treatments and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Lipid nanoparticles

Since making Milton Park our home in 2024, we’ve created a new headquarters where we can collaborate and innovate. In our new labs, we are developing next generation lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to improve vaccines and therapies across a wide range of diseases.

LNPs are tiny, fat-based particles that act as carriers for small molecules, which help medicines reach the right cells. NeoVac is a platform company advancing next-generation LNP technology to enable safer, adaptable mRNA therapeutics for vaccines, cancer immunotherapy, and autoimmune diseases.

Building a LNP platform

mRNA vaccine developed by NeoVac LNP platform has demonstrated promising efficacy and superior safety compared to currently marketed products in a Phase 1/2 trial. NeoVac lipids offer customisable immunogenicity, supporting both high immune activation required for vaccines and low immunogenicity to enable repeat dosing for cancer immunotherapy or protein replacement.

Our LNP technologies enable precise organ and cell targeting, with formulations for liver, spleen, lung and inflamed (gut) tissues, supported by an expanding organ-specific lipid family database. NeoVac lipids can be tailored to be degraded in the body at required conditions, leading to improved biocompatibility, safety and activity.

Problem solving to setting strategy

No two days are the same. My working day can range from scientific problem solving and project management to strategy-setting. I ensure our programmes run smoothly, partnerships are aligned and our employees have what they need to succeed.

The role needs a balance of science, business and leadership which makes it both challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Our ideal home

Milton Park is the ideal home for us. Having world-class labs and R&D space set within a thriving community has created the perfect environment for us to innovate. We are lucky to be surrounded by the green spaces which we make the most of during lunchtimes.

Its proximity to Oxford also gives us access to exceptional talent and research, while the Park’s flexibility has allowed us to expand as our team and pipeline grow. It really feels like we’re in the right place at the right time.

Future global impact

One of the most exciting projects we’re working on is a large consortium initiative focused on a malaria vaccine, which has the potential for global impact. We’re also exploring other disease areas where precise organ and tissue delivery of RNA could be transformative.