A coronavirus vaccine that comes in pill form could enter the early stages of clinical trials this year.
Oravax, the company working on the compound, announced in a press release that it hopes to begin the first phase of human clinical trials by June.
The step is only the earliest stage of vaccine development. There is no guarantee of success, and even if it works, it may take a year or more to be used (Moderna and Pfizer began their first human trials in March and May 2020, respectively).
Oral vaccines are an option being evaluated for “second generation” vaccines designed to be more scalable, easier to administer and easier to distribute.
Oravax is a joint venture of two companies: the Israeli-American company Oramed and the Indian Premas Biotech. Friday’s press release said the trials could begin in June.
An oral vaccine could be ‘potential’ [enable] people to take the vaccine themselves at home, ”said Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed, in the publication.
The vaccine could be shipped in a normal refrigerator and stored at room temperature, Kidron said, “making it logistically easier to get it anywhere in the world,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
In an email to Insider, Prof. Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, sounded a warning.
‘We need well-conducted studies to prove this [oral vaccines’] worth it, ”he said.
“But they can also be of value in people with severe needle phobia and can be administered more easily and quickly.”
Oral vaccines may also offer other advantages over vaccines taken in the arm, Hunter told Insider.
“The problem with systemic vaccines (shots in arms) is that they are generally very good at preventing serious illness,” but they are often not good at preventing infection.
The theory is that because the infection occurs first in the nose and throat, vaccines targeting those areas will help stop the infection before it can progress to worse.
Data on the Oravax vaccine has not been published to date. “The results of the animal studies are encouraging,” Hunter told Insider. “But don’t assume that animal results always translate into human results.”
“We need human studies to be sure,” he said.
Other types of second-generation vaccines, such as nasal vaccines, are being investigated. Scientists are also investigating whether vaccines can be delivered through patches.
Prof. Sarah Gilbert, lead scientist in the development of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, said Oxford is reviewing the possibility of developing tablets and oral nasal spray vaccines, the Independent reported Feb. 25.
Oxford University declined to answer questions about oral vaccines raised by Insider before publication.
Another company, ImmunityBio, is conducting Phase 1 clinical trials with an oral version of the vaccine. However, this would be used more as a booster dose for the intramuscular vaccine than the vaccine on its own.
The only test of an oral COVID-19 vaccine conducted in humans to date has not worked out.
In late 2020, a company called Vaxart announced good results in animal experiments, but initial human trials received disappointing responses.
This article was originally published by Business Insider.
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