Indian Drug Maker Develops COVID-19 Vaccine For Oral Use, Release By Late 2021
The vaccine candidate developed by Premas is a VLP or virus-like particle triple antigen vaccine that targets three particular structural proteins. Developed using Premas¡¯s genetically engineered S.cerevisiae platform, D-Crypt,
COVID-19 cases in India have begun skyrocketing once again. And while vaccines have started getting administered to senior citizens and people over 45 years of age with comorbidities, (while people without comorbidities over the age of 45 wait till April 1 to receive their dose), the entire experience of vaccination can be scary for people who are afraid of needles.
Reuters
Fear of injections or Trypanophobia is a real issue and to help people suffering from this phobia not miss out on the COVID-19 vaccine that they need to save their life, Indian pharmaceutical giant Premas Biotech has teamed up with Jerusalem-based Oravax Medical Inc to develop a novel COVID-19 vaccine that can be administered orally.
Tech behind the vaccine
The vaccine in development is harnessing the proprietary POD (Protein Oral Delivery) technology that¡¯s developed by Oravax¡¯s parent company Oramed and this has been fused with India-based Premas Biotech¡¯s vaccine technology.
The vaccine candidate developed by Premas is a VLP or virus-like particle triple antigen vaccine that targets three particular structural proteins. Developed using Premas¡¯s genetically engineered S.cerevisiae platform, D-Crypt, the company claims that the design that they¡¯ve developed makes this a better vaccine candidate for safeguarding the individual from the evolving mutation of the novel coronavirus.
Oral Covid-19 vaccine will take time
The vaccine developed with the combined technology is expected to undergo clinical study sometime during the second quarter of 2021. As of now, it has cleared a pilot animal study where the vaccine has successfully induced systemic immunity through immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A. The former represents the most effective and commonly available blood and a bodily fluid antibody that can fight against viral infections.
Reuters
Oramed¡¯s Chief Executive Officer Nadav Kidron said in a statement, (reported by BioSpace), ¡°An oral COVID-19 vaccine would eliminate several barriers to rapid, wide-scale distribution, potentially enabling people to take the vaccine themselves at home.¡±
He added, ¡°While ease of administration is critical today to accelerate inoculation rates, an oral vaccine could become even more valuable in the case that a COVID-19 vaccine may be recommended annually like the standard flu shot.¡±
Disclaimer: While there have been several different types of treatments being given to COVID-19 patients across the world, there isn¡¯t any one drug that has worked as a sure-shot treatment yet. Don¡¯t self medicate and always consult your doctor or medical health professional for any symptoms.
