Israeli company begins study into Covid-19 vaccine pill
Oravax says its initial testing has produced positive results
Inoculating against COVID-19 could soon be as easy as drinking a glass of water after an Israeli-American firm announced plans to trial a tablet vaccine.
Oravax said that a successful oral delivery method would vastly reduce distribution costs and possibly allow people to take the vaccine themselves at home.
A clinical study will begin before the end of June this year.
The firm said its proposed product was a virus-like particle triple antigen vaccine that targets three structural proteins — which means it should provide better protection across emerging mutations of the coronavirus.
“An oral COVID-19 vaccine would eliminate several barriers to rapid, widescale distribution, potentially enabling people to take the vaccine themselves at home,” said Nadav Kidron, chief executive of Oravax’s Jerusalem-based parent company Oramed.
“While ease of administration is critical today to accelerate inoculation rates, an oral vaccine could become even more valuable in the case that a COVID-19 vaccine may be recommended annually like the standard flu shot.”
A preclinical study in animals showed the vaccine produced antibodies after a single dose, the firm added.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
