Premas Biotech, Oramed to develop potential COVID-19 vaccine pill

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Oravax owned by Nasdaq listed Oramed Pharmaceuticals and Gurgoan-based biotech Premas Biotech have announced the development of potential single dose oral COVID-19 vaccine.

Oravax’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate which is a triple antigen virus like particle (VLP) consists three structural proteins of SARS-CoV2, unlike most other vaccines that are based on Spike (S) protein.

This, the company said, makes it a better candidate for protection across emerging mutations of the coronavirus.

"The oral delivery of the vaccine should allow for widescale inoculation and easier distribution of the vaccine without requiring an injection," Oravax said.

Oramed for years has been working on a potential human insulin in an oral formulation. Oral vaccines are not new, currently polio vaccine used in infant and child vaccination is given orally. Rotavirus vaccines are also given orally.

In a pilot animal study, the oral COVID-19 vaccine promoted both systemic immunity through Immunoglobulin G (IgG), the most common antibody in blood and bodily fluids that protects against viral infections, and Immunoglobulin A (IgA).

Oravax anticipates commencing a clinical study during the second quarter of 2021.

“An oral COVID-19 vaccine would eliminate several barriers to rapid, widescale distribution, potentially enabling people to take the vaccine themselves at home. 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,” said Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed.

Oravax was established in 2021 by Israel-based Oramed Pharmaceuticals, the largest shareholder in Oravax, along with Premas Biotech and certain other shareholders with a mission to bring an oral COVID-19 vaccine to the market.