NIH and Exothera in partnership to produce COVID-19 vaccine

The new vaccine is an alternative to injected versions and no medical training is needed to deliver it

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) – the US’s medical research agency – has selected Exothera to develop the manufacturing process for NIH’s intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Under the terms of the agreement, they will be joined by researchers from the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, which specialises in mucosal immunity and the early phases of clinical studies.

Replicating, intranasal vaccines have the potential of effectively interrupting transmission of COVID-19 by encouraging the development of immunity in the respiratory tract.

In addition, these vaccines – similar to the oral drops given across the world to prevent polio – could be a vital alternative to injected vaccines, especially as no specific medical training is needed to administer the vaccination.

NIH’s candidate is based on the ‘Adenovirus 4 backbone’, widely used as a vector candidate in influenza and HIV vaccine trials.

Peter Wright, a health physician at DHMC, explained: “We are pleased to join this collaborative effort to develop and assess the safety, immunogenicity and effectiveness of an adenovirus type 4-based vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a novel approach to the prevention of COVID-19.”

He added: “Although unique in the COVID-19 field, the vaccine has precedent in the highly successful prevention of adenovirus respiratory disease in the US military.”

Hanna Lesch, chief technology officer at Exothera, concluded: “Exothera has had significant expertise with adenovirus viral vectors and COVID nasal vaccines in the last three years, thanks to successful collaborations with partners and clients specialised in viral vector-based vaccines.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) lifted the Public Health Emergency of International Concern for COVID-19 on 5 May 2023, but adequate levels of vaccination of the global population remain crucial to reduce morbidity, mortality and the risk of emerging new virus variants.