Nasal COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Promise in Phase 1 Clinical Trial

Nasal COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates Positive Results in Phase 1 Clinical Trial

Image Credits: NBC News

Findings

During the extreme stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists noted that the complications of this infection started to increase severely with the SARS-CoV-2 virus entering the nasal tissues of individuals. This condition has witnessed several deaths targeting the low immune (sickest) body and individuals with breathing problems.

Solution

The common way to provide protection is by injecting the vaccine into the blood vessels. Many experts were hired to initiate the development of the nasally delivered vaccine, symbolizing its effectiveness and potential approach. The first human clinical trial will be organized in the United States of a nasal COVID vaccine.

Vaccine

Georgia-based company CyanVac LLC made this vaccine. The company also funded a clinical trial based on the data from its phase 1 trial, including two clinical studies engaging more individuals in its ongoing trials (NCT06742281 and NCT05736835). After this trial is considered successful, the CVXGA vaccine will be a part of the four nasal COVID vaccines to receive approval in other countries, like one in Russia, one in India, and two in China.

Under the nasal vaccine, the four groups participated. Dividing one group as a control group that has received a low dose of the vaccine. The remaining three groups were higher-dose groups. Further, subdivided as one group of uninfected adults (never got vaccinated), another group of adults were recently vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine, and the last group was of vaccinated teens. The different results showed a narrative result, but none had fever. The researchers found that the vaccine was absorbed in the nasal tissues, which generated antibody responses.

Importance of Nasal Vaccine

The number of deaths from COVID has diminished well than its peak pandemic years. The virus has not yet vanished. Around 663 Americans died due to COVID in 28 days at June end 2025 (including a plane crash), and 101 deaths in India have been calculated in the same timeframe. Witnessing these deaths is elevating the requirement of adjusting the vaccine, as the virus has been detected several times in one person (twice). The annual re-vaccination is needed to fight other pandemics. A nasal vaccine is tolerable and effective in adults and young children.

After the encouraging and positive results of the phase 1 clinical trial, the two main ongoing trials (NCT06742281) will initiate enrollment of 10,016 participants around mid-2026, with completion of the study by mid-2027.