STTR Phase I: Development of an Intranasal Vaccine for COVID-19

The broader impact /commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is development of a novel, safe and effective, non-invasive, vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently there is no approved vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, and some candidates are administered intramuscularly. The proposed intranasal vaccine directly interacts with the respiratory tract and may provide improved protection and virus clearance. The proposed vaccine is non-invasive, easy to administer, and may be effective in a single dose, thus impacting future social distancing needs. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop an intranasal coronavirus vaccine and determine the most promising formulation, with tasks including: 1) synthesis of novel coronavirus antigens and formulation of intranasal vaccine using liposome nanoparticles, including antigen discovery, liposome nanoparticle formulation, and in vitro characterization; 2) preclinical testing of intranasal coronavirus vaccine in an animal model, including intranasal vaccination, serum antibody analysis, virus challenge and analysis of protection efficacy. The outcome of this Phase I study is to obtain an optimized nanoparticle intranasal vaccine formulation for induction of robust T and B cell responses specific to SARS-CoV-2 S and N protein. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.