Oxford and Serum Institute of India begin human trials of a new COVID-19 vaccine in Australia

• University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India has started human trials of a new experimental COVID-19 vaccine in Australia.
• SpyBiotech, a UK company created by researchers from Oxford in 2017, has designed the vaccine shot, reported Bloomberg.
• This is the second potential coronavirus vaccine from Oxford under trial.
• The Serum Institute of India — which is running the phase I/II trials of SpyBiotech’s shot — is soon going to enrol hundreds of participants.
  

University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India has started human trials of a new experimental COVID-19 vaccine in Australia. SpyBiotech, a UK company created by researchers from Oxford in 2017, has designed the vaccine shot, reported Bloomberg.

According to Sumi Biswas, CEO SpyBiotech, the Serum Institute of India — which is running the phase I/II trials of SpyBiotech’s shot — is going to enrol hundreds of participants in the future.

“The vaccine uses a virus-like particle from the Hepatitis B antigen as a carrier, employing the company’s proprietary SpyCatcher/SpyTag “superglue” technology to attach the coronavirus spike protein to induce an immune response,” Biswas told Bloomberg in an interview.

She further added,” The virus-like-particle has been used for decades in a licensed vaccine against Hepatitis B. SpyBiotech’s technology allows antigens to be bonded to virus-like-particles in a way that enhances stability and effectiveness.”

SpyBiotech has reached an exclusive licensing deal with the Serum Institute of India.

This is the second potential coronavirus vaccine from Oxford under trial. Oxford-Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine candidate — ChAdOx1-S — is the most advanced vaccine candidate against COVID-19.

ChAdOx1-S is under a Phase III trial in the US. Oxford is likely to end the human trials by November and begin production from early 2021. Oxford has struck a deal with pharma giant Astra Zeneca to mass-produce the vaccine — and provide about 2 billion doses to the world if this trial is successful.


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