Oxford to Begin Trials of New Covid Vaccine in Partnership with India's Serum Institute! Details

A new experimental COVID-19 vaccine which is from the University of Oxford has started its human trials in Australia. It is in partnership with the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, Serum Institute of India. 

The vaccine was prepared by SpyBiotech, a U.K company. According to media reports, the company was spun out of Oxford in 2017. According to Sumi Biswas, the chief executive officer of the company and a professor at Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine, several dozen doses of the vaccine has been dispatched for trials which is likely to enroll hundreds of participants. 

The vaccine is employing a virus- like particle which is used in the Hepatitis B antigen. The particle is likely to spike protein and in turn induce an immune response. Hence, the company is using the tag SpyCatcher/ SpyTag “superglue”.

"SpyBiotech’stechnology allows antigens to be bonded to virus-like-particles in a way that enhances stability and effectiveness,” Biswas said in an interview.

“It is a bacterial superglue technology which allows you to attach antigens onto different vaccine delivery platforms. Covid has definitely accelerated the development of our company’s platform, " she said. 

According to Livemint, “SpyBiotech has an exclusive licensing agreement with the Serum Institute for the vaccine. The institute reached a licensing deal with AstraZeneca earlier this year to produce 1 billion doses of the Oxford shot developed by Gilbert.”