Unlike vaccines such as Moderna's mRNA-1273, the Janssen vaccine, and Pfizer–BioNTech's Tozinameran, which all require both specialized manufacturing facilities and also rare or expensive ingredients, NDV-HXP-S can be produced using chicken eggs in a fashion similar to influenza vaccine production, making it especially important to and for middle- and low-income countries.[8] Those existing vaccines are based on the 2P spike, while NDV-HXP-S is further refined via the same process, resulting in a new spike called HexaPro;[10] the 2P spike contained two prolines compared with HexaPro's six. It is also more resistant to heat and chemicals than the original 2P spike; the vaccine can be stored at 2–8°C.[17]
History
Development
Its development was coordinated by the PATH Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, and UT Austin and ISMMS have arranged royalty-free licensing agreements with labs and corporations in 80 countries. McLellan has noted that "the share of vaccines ['low- and middle-income countries' have] received so far is terrible".[8]
Clinical trials
As of December 2021, NDV-HXP-S is undergoing clinical trials in humans in at least four countries. In Brazil, on March 26, 2021, the Butantan Institute announced it would seek to begin clinical trials. Mexico-based Avimex plans to create an intranasal spray version of the vaccine. In Thailand the Government Pharmaceutical Organization is conducting a trial in coordination with Mahidol University.[18][19] Reflecting the freedom offered by the ease of the manufacturing process, Thai health minister Anutin Charnvirakul referred to the vaccine as "produced by Thai people for Thai people".[8] A phase II study has been completed in Vietnam, but the phase III study has been discontinued due to shortage of unvaccinated volunteers.[20]
^Simões E, Fonseca P (26 March 2021). "Brazil posts record 3,650 new COVID-19 deaths, unveils two homegrown vaccines". Reuters. Retrieved 7 April 2021. Earlier, Sao Paulo's Butantan biomedical institute said it will seek approval... Butantan aims to produce 40 million doses of the Butanvac vaccine... The vaccine was developed using a modified virus, which causes the Newcastle disease in birds...