An intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, CDO-7N-1, has been developed by researchers at Griffith University and is now ready for clinical trials. The vaccine, licensed to Indian Immunologicals, offers a potentially needle-free approach to combating the virus and its variants.
Broad Immunity and Variant Protection
According to Xiang Liu, from the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, CDO-7N-1 elicits immunity against all major SARS-CoV-2 proteins, unlike mRNA vaccines that target only the spike protein. This broad protection is highly effective against all major variants to date. The research findings were published in Nature Communications.
Suresh Mahalingam from Griffith’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, who has been working on this research for the past four years, highlights the potential of CDO-7N-1 as a game-changer, particularly for individuals with a fear of needles. The live attenuated intranasal vaccine is designed to induce both mucosal and systemic immunity with a single dose.
Single-Dose Efficacy and Long-Term Protection
CDO-7N-1 induces strong memory responses in the nasal mucosa, offering long-term protection for up to a year or more. It is designed as a single-dose booster vaccine, providing a safe and needle-free alternative with no observed adverse reactions in preclinical studies.
Live-attenuated vaccines, which comprise the entire virus, offer broad immunity, contrasting with single-antigen approaches used in many other vaccine platforms. These vaccines induce potent and long-lived humoral and cellular immunity, often with just a single dose.
Transmission Blocking and Stability
Liu emphasizes that the vaccine provides cross-protection against all variants of concern and demonstrates neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-1. The vaccine offers potent protection against transmission, prevents reinfection, and reduces the spread of the virus, while also limiting the generation of new variants.
Importantly, CDO-7N-1 remains stable at 4°C for seven months, making it ideal for distribution in low- and middle-income countries.
Clinical Trial Readiness
K. Anand Kumar, managing director of Indian Immunologicals, stated that all necessary studies for this novel COVID-19 vaccine have been completed, highlighting its advantages over other vaccines. The company is now preparing to advance the vaccine candidate into clinical trials.
Lee Smith, acting director of the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, expressed delight with the research findings, emphasizing the dedication of researchers to providing innovative and more accessible solutions to combat this high-impact disease.
