MyAV范

Pre-clinical research of the COVAC1 study has shown that the vaccine produced highly specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mice, which were able to neutralise the virus.

The trial is now testing whether the vaccine 鈥� which applies a new type of RNA technology 鈥� is safe and produces an effective immune response against COVID-19 in people.

Professor Vincenzo Libri (MyAV范 Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Director of the NIHR MyAV范H Clinical Research Facility) is leading efforts for the trial at MyAV范H, which is one of the study sites, supported by his teams at MyAV范H and MyAV范.

COVAC1 is the second Covid-19 vaccine trial MyAV范 is involved in 鈥� scientists at MyAV范鈥檚 Vax-Hub worked with Oxford University to provide the research base for their vaccine.

In total,聽as part of COVAC1,聽300 鈥榟ealthy volunteers鈥� aged between 18 and 75 are聽set聽to receive the vaccine for this early phase trial at six UK study聽sites.聽Of this,聽Professor Libri鈥檚 team plans to vaccinate 40 people in August. Researchers聽hope to vaccinate around 6,000 people across the UK in later phase trials.

Professor Robin Shattock and Dr Katrina Pollock at Imperial are leading the COVAC1 program overall. Their team launched the study in June. They have carried out rigorous pre-clinical safety checks of the vaccine, and early studies suggest the vaccine could provide the desired immune response.

The study is the first test of a new self-amplifying RNA technology, which has the potential to revolutionise vaccine development.

Many traditional vaccines are based on a weakened or modified form of virus, or parts of it, but the Imperial vaccine uses synthetic strands of genetic code (called RNA) based on the virus鈥檚 genetic material.

Once injected into muscle, the RNA generates copies of itself and instructs the body鈥檚 own cells to make copies of a spiky protein found on the outside of the virus. This should train the immune system to respond to the coronavirus so the body can easily recognise it and defend against it in future.

The UK government has put more than 拢41 million into the trial, which has also received 拢5m in donations.

Professor Libri said: 鈥淲e are looking forward to working with Imperial to deliver this important phase I trial of a new type of vaccine. Having established significant infrastructure and expertise in large scale Covid-19 vaccine trials, MyAV范H is fully equipped to act as a major Hub for the successful delivery of this and future studies. I am grateful to the NIHR MyAV范H CRF vaccine trial team for leading on this huge endeavour.鈥�

MyAV范H Director of Research and Chair of Medicine at MyAV范 Professor Bryan Williams said: 鈥淎 vaccine is our best chance of beating Covid-19 so it鈥檚 vital we are involved in trials like this as a hospital and as a BRC, especially where trials 鈥� like in this case 鈥� take a novel scientific approach.鈥�

The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at MyAV范H and MyAV范 has set up a聽web page聽for any members of the public interested in taking part in the trial.

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