By Oxford and AstraZeneca to Begin Testing Nasal Spray Covid Vaccine
Oxford University is reportedly ready to begin testing a nasal spray version of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, according to documents seen by the Financial Times, which could help bring about a more accessible, needle-free version of the vaccine that is still held up as a leading hope for most of the world despite being plagued by numerous reputation-damaging controversies in Europe and the U.S.
Oxford University has begun searching for participants in the early-stage trial, the Financial Times reported Thursday, which will take around four months to complete and could begin as early as next week.
The small trial, known as a Phase I trial, will test the vaccine’s safety ahead of potentially much larger trials to test efficacy.
The Oxford team is seeking around 30 healthy adults under the age of 40 to receive the vaccine, the Financial Times reported, citing a recruitment sheet it had obtained.
All participants will receive one dose of the vaccine, with half set to receive a booster dose at a later point in time.
Nasal spray vaccines are much more accessible than needle-driven ones, especially in children, and they potentially provide an extra barrier to infection. Read Full Article >
