A New York drug manufacturer has been given the lead in initiating trials in humans of a potential COVID-19 vaccine given by simple nasal drops.
Codagenix, based in Long Island, announced Monday that it has received regulatory approval in the UK to begin phase 1 testing, with 48 volunteers starting to receive treatment from the first week of January.
Its COVI-VAC has already “been shown to be safe and effective in preclinical animal studies” and “may induce a more robust immune response and long-lasting cellular immunity” than other vaccines, according to the company.
Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, which began use in the U.S. this week, the Codagenix candidate does not need a syringe or a second dose weeks later, nor should it be stored at 94 degrees below zero.
“The potential of COVI-VAC to meet global demand as a needle-free single-dose vaccine that only needs a standard freezer or refrigerator cannot be overstated,” said Codagenix CEO J. Robert Coleman.
The Phase 1 trial will be randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled, using a single dose of COVI-VAC using nasal drops, the company said, located at Farmingdale’s Broad Hollow Bioscience Research Park.