Premas Biotech, a developer of novel biotherapeutic and vaccine candidates, with Oramed Pharmaceuticals, announced the development of an oral Covid-19 vaccine that has shown efficacy after a single dose.
Premas, Oramed and other shareholders, have formed Oravax Medical, which has received exclusive licenses from Oramed and Premas to develop oral COVID-19 vaccines.
After a single dose of the Oravax COVID-19 capsule, efficacy was evident through antibody production in a pilot animal study. Oravax’s vaccine promoted both systemic immunity through Immunoglobulin G (IgG), the most common antibody in blood and bodily fluids that protects against viral infections and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) which protects the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts against infection.
Premas’ protein-based VLP (virus-like particle) vaccine candidate creates triple protection against the SARS CoV-2 virus spike, membrane, and envelope targets. The vaccine candidate is also safe, efficacious and well-tolerated at normal to high doses, and generated high titres of neutralizing antibodies. The VLP is manufactured using Premas’ proprietary D-Crypt platform, which is highly scalable and can be manufactured on large scales.
An oral Covid-19 vaccine that harnesses and combines the true potential of Premas’ D-Crypt technology platform with Oramed’s world-leading oral protein delivery platform, POD is an excellent example of collaboration and can rapidly advance into late-stage clinical trials, says Dr Prabuddha Kundu, Premas Biotech Co-Founder and Managing Director. Oramed’s experience and success in conducting Phase 2 and 3 oral protein trials position its program favourably in the race to find an effective oral Covid-19 vaccine that can be administered by anyone anywhere. The company is expected to share clinical data soon.
An oral COVID-19 vaccine would eliminate several barriers to rapid, wide-scale distribution, enabling people to take the vaccine themselves at home, says Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed.
