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US govt to fund up to 500 mn for studies on oral nasal Covid vaccines
The funding is part of Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative led by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) (Photo: Freepik )
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Thursday it will provide up to $500 million for mid-stage trials evaluating vaccines administered as a nasal spray or pill to protect against symptomatic Covid-19.
The funding is part of Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative led by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), to advance a pipeline of new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics providing broader and more durable protection against Covid-19 infection.
BARDA, which helps companies develop medical supplies to address public health threats, is a part of HHS.
The project is awarding up to $453 million to Vaxart for a study that will evaluate its oral Covid vaccine.
The company’s shares more than doubled to $1.78 after market.
It is also awarding privately held Castlevax and Cyanvac around $34 million and $40 million, respectively, to develop their intranasal vaccine candidates.
Each trial will enroll 10,000 volunteers and compare the efficacy and safety of the investigational vaccines to FDA-licensed vaccines.
“Currently approved Covid-19 vaccines are administered intramuscularly and, while extremely effective, are limited in their capacity to induce a robust immune response in mucosal areas such as the mouth, nose and gut, where the SARS-CoV-2 virus first enters the body,” the HHS said.
First Published: Jun 14 2024 | 6:55 AM IST
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