Preclinical Data Announced by Intravacc for COVID-19 Nose Spray Vaccine

Today, Intravacc has announced positive preclinical data for its SARS-CoV-2 Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) based recombinant Spike protein (rSp) candidate nose spray vaccine. The company, based in the Netherlands, is a global leader in translational research and development of viral and bacterial vaccines.

"Our focus is to develop an intranasal COVID-19 vaccine that can induce both a systemic and a mucosal immune response,” Dinja Oosterhoff, the director of program management at Intravacc said. “Mucosal immunity is the first line of defense for respiratory infections and plays an important role in the prevention of transmission of SARS-CoV-2.”

For the preclinical study, 4 groups of mice, as well as 4 groups of hamsters, each received two intranasal immunizations on both days 1 and 21. A single group of the mice and hamsters received a vaccine based on OMV's mixed with rSp (CovOMV) and the other received a vaccine based on OMV's coupled to rSp based on Intravacc's proprietary OMV click technology (CovOMVclick). The animals in the control arm received only OMV's or only rSp.

After 35 days, blood samples from the mice were tested for virus neutralizing antibodies. After 42 days, samples from the hamsters were challenged with SARS-CoV-2.

Findings from the study demonstrated that the mice who received the CovOMV- and CovOMVclick vaccines had virus neutralizing antibodies detected at 30% and 90% respectively.

All of the hamsters had induced neutralizing antibodies, however the level of antibodies in the hamsters that received CovOMVclick was slightly higher. The intranasal vaccination resulted in complete protection after challenged with the virus.

"We are very pleased with this pre-clinical data of our intranasal SARS-CoV-2 candidate vaccine. This allows us to move quickly towards an in human combined phase I and II clinical trial,” Jan Groen, the CEO of Intravacc said. “Based on historical scientific- and clinical data generated at Intravacc, I am convinced that we are well-positioned for the further development of this vaccine.”