Under the expanded agreement, Lonza will commission a dedicated manufacturing suite for clinical and commercial production of AdCOVID at its Houston, TX, facility. Securing the limited manufacturing capacity will support the late-stage development and potential future commercialization of the product.

AdCOVID is a candidate that is administered via nasal spray. In preclinical studies, it has been shown to activate systemic immunity and mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract. Altimmune recently began a phase I clinical trial; the company expects data from this study to be released in the second quarter of 2021.

Based on experience with the vaccine platform technology, the company anticipates that AdCOVID could provide immunity of up to one year or more following a single dose. Moreover, the vaccine can be shipped without cold chain logistics and without the need for specialized freezer storage, according to the firm.