As COVID-19 swept through the globe, governments scrambled for a cure. In the midst of global vaccination efforts using the approved for emergency use COVID-19 vaccines that we've all come to know, a question arises: Are intravenous vaccines the only way to achieve global vaccination?
A company announced that an oral COVID-19 vaccine could begin early clinical trials within the year. Oral vaccines offer advantages over injection-based vaccines, with some already existing for other diseases.
Early Stage Oral COVID-19 Vaccine
Oravax Medical Inc. the pharmaceutical company working on the oral COVID-19 vaccines, recently announced in a press release that it hopes to begin its first phase of human clinical trials this June 2021.
The pill is only in its earliest phase of development, and while oral vaccines sound promising, there is no guarantee of success as of yet. Additionally, in the chance that the pill proves to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, it may take a year or more before it is authorized for use.
In retrospect, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna began the first human clinical trials in March and May of 2020 and was only allowed use recently.
Oral COVID-19 vaccines are an option being assessed as a "second-generation" vaccine that can be designed to be more scalable, easier to administer, and much simpler to distribute, which are important factors to ensure the herd immunity of the populace.
Advantages of Oral Vaccines
Oravax is a joint venture between the Israeli-American company -- Oramed, and the Indian company Premas Biotech.
CEO of Oramed, Nadav Kidron says in the press release that oral vaccines could potentially enable people to administer the vaccine themselves in the comforts of their home.
Kidron adds that oral vaccines could be shipped in normal refrigerators and stored at room temperature, easing logistical issues compared to intravenous COVID-19 vaccines.
In an email, Prof Paul Hunter a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia cautioned the world on oral vaccines saying that the public would need properly conducted scrutinous studies to prove the oral vaccines' worth.
Adding that oral vaccines could help alleviate fears especially for people who are extremely needle phobic.
Hunter explains that there are various advantages to an oral vaccination compared to its injection-based counterparts. He explains that although intravenous vaccines are generally great at preventing severe diseases, they aren't as effective in preventing infections.
The theory is that since SARS-CoV-2 first infects the nose and throat, focusing vaccines in the selected areas will help prevent infection before it develops into a severe disease with more complications.
To date, data about Oravax has yet to be published. Hunter says that the results of animal testing showed promise. However, this does not always translate to human results.
Other forms of second-generation vaccines being studied are vaccines that can be administered as a spray through the nose. Scientists are researchers whether it's possible to deliver vaccines via patches.
ImmunityBio, another company developing oral vaccines is currently running Phase 1 clinical trials. However, the vaccine is set to be a booster dose to the intramuscular vaccine.
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