Upperton Pharma Solutions has secured funding from the first VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call to develop an oral formulation for adenovirus-vectored vaccines, marking a significant advancement in needle-free vaccine delivery technology. The Nottingham-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) is collaborating with the University of Oxford on this innovative initiative.
Addressing Vaccine Delivery Limitations
The project is led by Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert at Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute and aims to overcome the limitations of intramuscular vaccine delivery. By exploring oral delivery routes, the research team seeks to induce mucosal immunity, improve vaccine stability, simplify distribution, and support self-administration capabilities.
"We're proud to partner with the University of Oxford on this initiative," said Richard Johnson, Chief Scientific Officer at Upperton. "Oral vaccine delivery has the potential to transform global immunisation and pandemic response strategies, and this project is a significant step forward where we can apply our formulation development expertise."
Technical Approach and Expertise
Upperton will contribute its specialized expertise in oral dosage form development, particle engineering, and spray drying to support the formulation development work. The goal is to enable needle-free delivery of adenovirus-vectored vaccines, which could significantly increase public acceptability and vaccine uptake by eliminating the need for injections.
The company operates a state-of-the-art 60,000 square foot facility in Nottingham that supports manufacturing across multiple dosage forms, including oral solids, liquids, semi-solids, inhalation, and sterile products. Upperton provides integrated CDMO services from pre-clinical development through to market supply.
Funding and Timeline
The VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call was launched in January 2025 to support innovative projects aligned with sustainable vaccine development. The joint project between Upperton and Oxford is expected to complete in summer 2026.
VaxHub Sustainable is a research initiative funded by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and is co-led by Professor Martina Micheletti at University College London and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert at Oxford. The initiative aims to position the UK as a global leader in sustainable vaccine manufacturing.
The project receives support from the EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub for a Sustainable Future, with funding acknowledged under Grant Reference EP/X038181/1.
