Meissa’s Intranasal COVID-19 Vaccine Yields Promising Preclinical Data

In a July 19, 2021 press release, Meissa Vaccines announced that a single adjuvant-free dose of the company’s intranasal recombinant live attenuated COVID-19 vaccine, MV-014-212, was equally effective against SARS-CoV-2 (compared to the efficacy of currently authorized vaccines), according to preclinical data in nonhuman primates (NHPs). The data also showed that MV-014-212 stimulated mucosal (nasal immunoglobulin A [IgA]) antibodies in the upper respiratory tract and systemic (serum neutralizing and binding IgG) antibodies.

A conventional live attenuated coronavirus vaccine strategy is not recommended for SARS-CoV-2 because coronaviruses are genetically unstable, according to the company press release. MV-014-212 was built using the company’s AttenuBlock platform, which produces a vaccine backbone that provides appropriate attenuation, genetic stability, and optimized immunity. Moreover, live attenuated vaccines are effective at lower dosages and scalable.

According to the press release, injected vaccines may reduce but not contain transmission of COVID-19. The live attenuated intranasal vaccine, on the other hand, has the potential to block transmission, prevent infections, and provide broad and long-lasting immunity, the company claims.

Meissa’s intranasal COVID-19 vaccine generated both mucosal and systemic antibodies in NHPs and was protective against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 challenge. The company also enrolled and dosed SARS-CoV-2 seronegative and seropositive adult participants in all dosage groups of a Phase I clinical trial of MV-014-212. Interim analysis of the trial data is expected later this year.

Source: Meissa Vaccines