The trial will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new vaccine compared to an FDA-approved mRNA vaccine.
University of Georgia-based startup CyanVac LLC has received federal funding to conduct a Phase 2b clinical trial to compare its intranasal vaccine candidates, CVXGA, which are designed to provide protection against COVID-19.
As part of the award from Project NextGen, a federal initiative based in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), CyanVac will sponsor a randomized, double-blind Phase 2b study with 10,000 participants to compare the efficacy and safety of the intranasal vaccine against an FDA-approved mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine.
The new vaccine is based on a viral delivery platform developed by He containing modified strains of parainfluenza virus 5, which causes kennel cough in dogs but is relatively harmless to humans.
Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) is a member of the Paramyxoviridae family known to infect dogs, leading to respiratory illnesses similar to kennel cough. It can also infect other mammals, including humans, typically causing mild respiratory symptoms. The virus is airborne and spreads through respiratory droplets, necessitating good hygiene and isolation practices to control outbreaks.
CyanVac's Commitment and Project Goals
CyanVac was founded by Biao He, Regents' Entrepreneur, Fred C. Davison Distinguished University Chair in Veterinary Medicine and a faculty member in UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). He served on a White House panel to advise on the future of COVID-19 vaccines and was named both UGA Inventor and Entrepreneur of the Year.
Biao He in his laboratory. Credit: Andrew Davis Tuckert
"We are very excited about this opportunity to test a novel intranasal COVID vaccine whose technology platform has been developed at UGA," said He, who is based in UGA's Department of Infectious Diseases. "The name of our vaccine—CVXGA—is a tribute to UGA and CVM whose support over the years made this possible."
Project NextGen's goal is to advance new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics that provide longer-lasting and more durable protection against COVID-19. The award is one of the first made through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle, a consortium funded by the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to accelerate product and technology development.
The Phase 2b study, which will begin this fall, will be carried out by BARDA's Clinical Studies Network, focusing on evaluating the vaccine in a subset of participants who are at a higher risk of severe disease.
News
Concerning New Research Reveals Colon Cancer Is Skyrocketing in Adults Under 50
Colorectal cancer is striking younger adults at alarming rates, driven by lifestyle and genetic factors. Colorectal cancer (CRC) develops when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the colon or rectum, forming tumors that can eventually [...]
Scientists Discover a Natural, Non-Addictive Way To Block Pain That Could Replace Opioids
Scientists have discovered that the body can naturally dull pain through its own localized “benzodiazepine-like” peptides. A groundbreaking study led by a University of Leeds scientist has unveiled new insights into how the body manages pain, [...]
GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Work, but New Research Reveals a Major Catch
Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs lead to clinically meaningful weight loss, though industry-funded studies raise concerns. Three new reviews from Cochrane have found that GLP-1 medications can lead to significant [...]
How a Palm-Sized Laser Could Change Medicine and Manufacturing
Researchers have developed an innovative and versatile system designed for a new generation of short-pulse lasers. Lasers that produce extremely short bursts of light are known for their remarkable precision, making them indispensable tools [...]
New nanoparticles stimulate the immune system to attack ovarian tumors
Cancer immunotherapy, which uses drugs that stimulate the body’s immune cells to attack tumors, is a promising approach to treating many types of cancer. However, it doesn’t work well for some tumors, including ovarian [...]
New Drug Kills Cancer 20,000x More Effectively With No Detectable Side Effects
By restructuring a common chemotherapy drug, scientists increased its potency by 20,000 times. In a significant step forward for cancer therapy, researchers at Northwestern University have redesigned the molecular structure of a well-known chemotherapy drug, greatly [...]
Lipid nanoparticles discovered that can deliver mRNA directly into heart muscle cells
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide. But advances in heart-failure therapeutics have stalled, largely due to the difficulty of delivering treatments at the cellular level. Now, a UC Berkeley-led [...]
The basic mechanisms of visual attention emerged over 500 million years ago, study suggests
The brain does not need its sophisticated cortex to interpret the visual world. A new study published in PLOS Biology demonstrates that a much older structure, the superior colliculus, contains the necessary circuitry to perform the [...]
AI Is Overheating. This New Technology Could Be the Fix
Engineers have developed a passive evaporative cooling membrane that dramatically improves heat removal for electronics and data centers Engineers at the University of California San Diego have created an innovative cooling system designed to greatly enhance [...]
New nanomedicine wipes out leukemia in animal study
In a promising advance for cancer treatment, Northwestern University scientists have re-engineered the molecular structure of a common chemotherapy drug, making it dramatically more soluble and effective and less toxic. In the new study, [...]
Mystery Solved: Scientists Find Cause for Unexplained, Deadly Diseases
A study reveals that a protein called RPA is essential for maintaining chromosome stability by stimulating telomerase. New findings from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggest that problems with a key protein that helps preserve chromosome stability [...]
Nanotech Blocks Infection and Speed Up Chronic Wound Recovery
A new nanotech-based formulation using quercetin and omega-3 fatty acids shows promise in halting bacterial biofilms and boosting skin cell repair. Scientists have developed a nanotechnology-based treatment to fight bacterial biofilms in wound infections. The [...]
Researchers propose five key questions for effective adoption of AI in clinical practice
While Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a powerful tool that physicians can use to help diagnose their patients and has great potential to improve accuracy, efficiency and patient safety, it has its drawbacks. It [...]
Advancements and clinical translation of intelligent nanodrugs for breast cancer treatment
A comprehensive review in "Biofunct. Mater." meticulously details the most recent advancements and clinical translation of intelligent nanodrugs for breast cancer treatment. This paper presents an exhaustive overview of subtype-specific nanostrategies, the clinical benefits [...]
It’s Not “All in Your Head”: Scientists Develop Revolutionary Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A 96% accurate blood test for ME/CFS could transform diagnosis and pave the way for future long COVID detection. Researchers from the University of East Anglia and Oxford Biodynamics have created a highly accurate [...]
How Far Can the Body Go? Scientists Find the Ultimate Limit of Human Endurance
Even the most elite endurance athletes can’t outrun biology. A new study finds that humans hit a metabolic ceiling at about 2.5 times their resting energy burn. When ultra-runners take on races that last [...]
