Vaxart Announces Additional Preclinical COVID-19 Oral Vaccine Data and Publication

New pre-clinical histology data show that Vaxart’s oral vaccine protected against lung inflammation in hamster models

An article published in Nature Medicine reports data from a collaboration with Stanford University researchers on in vitro activity of Vaxart’s COVID-19 vaccine

Data from Vaxart’s Phase I COVID-19 trial expected to be released next week

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaxart, Inc., (NASDAQ: VXRT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing oral vaccines that are administered by tablet rather than by injection, announced today additional results from its SARS-CoV-2 Hamster Challenge Study, as well as a peer-reviewed publication in Nature Medicine resulting from a collaboration with prominent Stanford University scientists on COVID-19 vaccine candidates.

“The latest data from the SARS-CoV-2 Hamster Challenge Study reinforces our belief that our oral COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows great promise.” said Andrei Floroiu, chief executive officer of Vaxart. “Our oral vaccine could help fight the COVID-19 epidemic globally because it is stable at room-temperature making it easier to transport, store, and administer than injectables. It may also appeal to those uncomfortable with injections.”

New histology data from Vaxart’s SARS-CoV-2 Hamster Challenge Study showed that hamsters that received two doses of the oral tablet vaccine had a substantial reduction in lung inflammation as compared to unvaccinated hamsters. 

Vaxart announced earlier results of its Hamster Challenge Study. These findings included:

• A 4- to 5-fold log reduction in lung viral load in hamsters that received two oral vaccine doses, as compared to non-vaccinated animals.        
• Potent induction of antibody response, with serum IgG antibody titers above 10,000 in hamsters that received two oral vaccine doses.           
• Oral vaccination protected as well as intranasal vaccination against intranasal challenge with respect to key indicators: protection from weight loss, protection from increase in lung weight, viral load reduction, and induction of serum IgG antibodies, demonstrating that mucosal protection by both routes of administration was comparable.