Gist
Trial begins of needle-free Covid vaccine targeting new variants
A trial has begun of a new needle-free Covid-19 vaccine to protect against future variants of the virus.
The vaccine, administered through a jet of air, has been developed by Prof Jonathan Heeney of Cambridge University and chief executive of DIOSynVax.
Participants, aged between 18 and 50 years old, will take part at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility.
Prof Heeney said: “As new variants emerge and immunity begins to wane we need newer technologies.”
The vaccine, DIOS-CoVax, uses different technology to fight the disease which could provide much broader protection against Covid variants and other coronaviruses, he said.
“It’s vital that we continue to develop new generation vaccine candidates ready to help keep us safe from the next virus threats,” he added.
“It is the first step towards a universal coronavirus vaccine we are developing, protecting us not just from Covid-19 variants but from future coronaviruses.”
This new vaccine uses predictive methods to mimic the wider family of coronavirus antigens that researchers hope will give more protection.
A spring-powered jet injection delivers it into the skin, offering an alternative to those who have a fear of needle-based injections.
Prof Saul Faust, director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, said: “This isn’t simply ‘yet another’ coronavirus vaccine, as it has both Covid-19 variants and future coronaviruses in its sights.
