Vaxart began developing an oral tablet Covid-19 vaccine in early 2020 and it is now the only company to have taken an oral tablet COVID-19 to a Phase II clinical trial.
A room temperature-stable pill has the potential to offer superior distribution, ease of use, and protection against COVID-19. Vaxart’s Phase I clinical trials demonstrated its vaccine candidate triggers robust mucosal and T-cell responses, which should allow the body to fight infection where it invades— in the mucosa.
Pre-clinical research also suggests that Vaxart’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate inhibits airborne transmission of the virus by reducing shedding. These results are consistent with those from Vaxart’s Phase II human flu challenge study, which showed Vaxart’s oral tablet vaccine was better at reducing shedding than the injectable flu vaccine comparator. The vaccine has shown cross reactivity against many of the evolving variants of the current COVID-19, including Delta and older versions such as the initial SARS and MERS.
In October 2021, Vaxart began dosing its first subjects in the United States in the first part of its Phase II clinical trials of its oral tablet vaccine candidate. The company’s Phase II COVID-19 program will also include countries outside of the United States, starting with a trial in India that is expected to begin in 2022.
Vaccines
