Finally a vaccine to finally eradicate Covid? Nasal spray reduces the risk of infection by 86% – almost DOUBLE the protection from a shot in the arm

A nasal vaccine that could finally combat Covid infections is a step closer to reality after promising early study results.

The inhaled vaccine, developed by researchers in Georgia, successfully reduced the risk of symptomatic Covid infections by 86 per cent over three months in people who received it as a booster shot – almost double the protection provided by the mRNA enhancer offer vaccination.

While still in its early stages, this is an exciting development that may be more effective than booster doses given by injection.

The nasal or “mucosal” vaccines are attractive for their ability to activate immune cells in the mucous membranes that line the nasal passages and mouth, where the coronavirus first enters the body, and stop the virus in its tracks.

Nasal vaccines as currently being developed by Georgia-based startup Blue Lake Biotechnology Inc. Concentrate immune protection in the upper airways and put powerful antibodies right on the front line.

In their phase 1 study, which began in August 2021, researchers from Blue Lake Biotechnology enrolled 72 participants aged 18 to 55 who had already received two doses of an mRNA vaccine, as well as unvaccinated healthy people.

They plan to expand the sample size and will continue to recruit subjects through December.

The vaccine technology relies on a type of parainfluenza virus encoded with Covid’s characteristic spike protein to train the immune system to recognize and fight it.

Once the contents of the vaccine are inhaled, small pieces of the parainfluenza virus multiply in the nasal cavity to such an extent that they trigger an immune response without actually making the person sick.

Dr. Biao He, founder and CEO of Blue Lake Biotechnology said, “We were pleasantly surprised to see evidence of a protective effect in this phase 1 study.”

“We are excited and encouraged by this result, and through our subsidiary CyanVac LLC, we have submitted a protocol to the FDA for a Phase 2 randomized controlled trial in which we look forward to a more complete evaluation of the vaccine’s immunogenicity and to ‘ a better understanding of its protective effectiveness.’

The immune response elicited by the nasal spray vaccine may be significantly more robust than a vaccine given via syringe.

Nasal Covid-19 vaccines would be a global game changer

Nasal vaccine technology can not only elicit a strong immune response, but also reduce the burden on health care workers who administer vaccine injections, reduce medical waste, and give developing countries greater access to vaccines.

Booster shots currently in use in the US have been shown to reduce symptomatic infections by 43 percent in people under the age of 65 in about the same time that the spray can provide 86 percent protection.

People in the studies who received the nasal spray had fewer side effects than those who received the injectable vaccine.

Nasal spray vaccines appear to be a less invasive way for many to protect themselves from serious illness, potentially attracting needle-phobic evacuees.

The final product is still a long way off, and it’s the kind of next-generation Covid vaccine that public health officials have said is desperately needed should a new variant emerge that can evade vaccine protection.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research within the Food and Drug Administration and colleagues at Brown University, said late last year: “The introduction of these bivalent boosters will probably only be a temporary measure until variants emerge come that a provides additional booster vaccinations. or modification of the current generation vaccines.

“Therefore, serious consideration should be given to the development of a significantly improved generation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that provide longer protection with a longer range.”