The vaccine candidate "encodes the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein and uses novel Fusogenix technology for delivery," Aegis Life said. The next-generation gene delivery technology delivers DNA information inside cells, which is needed to make the viral protein for VAX-001 work. The trial is being conducted at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology and the IWK Health Centre, both in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A participant receives a dose marking the start of phase I trials for Aegis Life/Entos Pharmaceuticals' COVID-19 DNA vaccine, Covigenix VAX-001. Image courtesy of Aegis Life.

The two firms have also developed a second vaccine candidate, Covigenix VAX-002, which is now in preclinical studies and is intended as a pancoronavirus and emerging variant vaccine, they said.

Entos to begin phase I/II study of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
Entos Pharmaceuticals has selected two lead candidates for a pancoronavirus Fusogenix DNA vaccine (Covigenix) from its prototyping program to initiate...

COVID-19 vaccine candidates show progress amid challenges
As the COVID-19 outbreak advances worldwide, companies are stepping up to the challenge to develop a potential vaccine. There are over 75 confirmed COVID-19...