10/10/2022
Attempts by Oxford University researchers and AstraZeneca Plc to create a nasal-spray version of their jointly developed COVID-19 shot suffered a setback on Tuesday as initial testing on humans did not yield the desired protection.
An antibody response in the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract was seen in only a minority of participants in the study, which was in the first of what would normally be three phases of clinical testing, the University of Oxford said in a statement on Tuesday.
The immune response measured in the blood was also weaker than with a shot-in-the-arm vaccination.
Researchers around the world have pinned high hopes on nasal spray vaccines against the coronavirus as it is believed that the method can prevent infection and not just disease as it can trigger an immune response directly in the airways where the virus enters the body .
Also, the method would be less painful and easier to manage than injections.
Regulators in India and China have already approved products that are administered through the respiratory tract.
India’s health minister approved Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 nasal spray vaccine last month, while China’s CanSino Biologics Inc (6185.HK) received emergency use authorization for an inhaled version of its COVID-19 vaccine from the country’s drug agency last month. Continue reading
CanSino has said studies suggest its vaccine, administered via a nebulizer device, can induce strong immunity to effectively curb infection, while Bharat’s study results have not yet been released.
The UK study included 30 previously unvaccinated participants and 12 volunteers who had previously received a standard two-dose vaccine by injection.
“The nasal spray didn’t do as well as we had hoped in this study,” said Sandy Douglas, who led the study at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute.
“We think nasal and lung vaccine delivery remains a promising approach, but this study suggests there will likely be challenges in making nasal sprays a reliable option,” she added.
According to the statement, no serious adverse events or safety concerns were reported during the study, which was funded by AstraZeneca.
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