MigVax Progressing With New Oral Covid-19 Vaccine
MigVax currently seeks the financing necessary for it to launch Phase 1 & 2 clinical trials.
Israeli researchers at MigVax, who are working on an oral COVID-19 vaccine. The Migal Galilee Research Institute
MigVax Ltd. is an Israeli startup company developing an oral subunit vaccine against COVID-19. The company announced promising results from preclinical tests that demonstrated the effectivity of its MigVax-101 subunit oral vaccine as a booster for previously vaccinated persons.
MigVax Ltd. develops a novel COVID-19 vaccine. MigVax, an affiliate of The Migal Galilee Research Institute. The Migal Galilee Research Institute has previously developed a vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus, a coronavirus strain which causes bronchial disease affecting poultry. The effectiveness of the poultry vaccine has been proven in animal trials carried out at Israel’s Veterinary institute. MigVax is using the methods learned from the existing vaccine to develop a new oral subunit human vaccine against COVID-19.
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In the trial, tests carried out on rats demonstrated that the MigVax-101 sub-unit oral vaccine, when administered in a boost format following an injected S1 protein, elicited markedly higher neutralizing antibody titers than rats receiving an oral placebo booster. In addition, similar to a third booster injection, it elicited more effective neutralizing antibodies.
MigVax currently seeks the financing necessary for it to launch Phase 1 & 2 clinical trials, which, if successful, it believes would lead to commercial availability 9-12 months after the trials begin.
Back in February of 2020 Israeli researchers at MIGAL Galilee Research Institute said that they developed a vaccine against Coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) for poultry. The DNA of coronavirus in birds has a very similar genetic structure to the virus in humans that had spread from China. The researchers said the treatment developed for birds could be applicable to humans.
“The results of this trial increase our confidence that our MigVax-101 subunit oral vaccine will make a positive contribution to a world coming to grips with the new post-pandemic reality,” commented Prof. Itamar Shalit, MigVax’s Infectious Disease Expert.
“Fifteen months into the pandemic, we now see that the struggle to keep Covid under control is nearly as challenging as getting it under control to begin with. Oral boosters such as our MigVax-101 will be key enablers that will help health organizations the world over transition from ‘panic mode’ to routine, due to their ability to reduce the cost and expand the reach of ongoing vaccination programs.”
Read more about: COVID-19, Migal Galilee Research Institute, MigVax
