February 3, 2021 -- Vaxart announced positive preliminary data from its phase I clinical trial evaluating VXA-CoV2-1, its oral COVID-19 tablet vaccine.
The company used a replication-incompetent adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) vector to deliver two payloads, the pathogen antigen and adjuvant, to the cells of the mucosal epithelium of the small bowel. The vaccine includes both spike and nucleocapsid SARS-CoV-2 proteins.
The tablet was generally well-tolerated and immunogenic, as measured by multiple markers of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Also, the vaccine induced potent CD8+ (cytotoxic) T-cell responses, and is potentially protective against new and emerging COVID-19 strains, according to early data.
No serious adverse events were reported during the trial.
"We expect that our vaccine will be less impacted by new variants than injectable vaccines," said Sean Tucker, PhD, Vaxart's chief scientific officer.
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