York in Medicago plant-based Covid-19 vaccine trials

The University of York and York Hospital are currently managing recruitment for phase three trials of Canadian biopharmaceutical company Medicago’s vaccine candidate.

Enrolment is ongoing and expected to conclude in late Spring, with 30,000 people across the globe taking part eventually.

Medicago, is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Quebec City, working with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and interim Phase 2 results for the new vaccine candidate show similar antibody response in adults and in the elderly after two doses.

In addition neutralizing antibody responses were ten times higher than in people recovering from Covid-19. So far there have been no severe adverse events reported.

Within their vast greenhouses, Medicago uses plants as mini bioreactors to produce virus-like particles, the vaccine candidate’s active ingredient.

Nathalie Landry, executive vice president, scientific and medical affairs at Medicago, said: “We are very excited to see such positive results from the Phase 2 data. After two doses, the adjuvanted vaccine candidate induced robust neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses in all subjects, irrespective of age.

“These results give us confidence as we continue to move forward with our Phase 3 clinical trial. We hope to add another tool in the global fight against Covid-19, particularly as cross-protection emerges as an important consideration in vaccination efforts worldwide.”

Thomas Breuer, chief medical officer, GSK Vaccines said, “We are delighted to see that the results suggest a very strong immune response.

"We now look forward to the outcome of the ongoing Phase 3 trial of this refrigerator-stable vaccine candidate as the next step forward in our contribution to the global response to the pandemic.”

As well as in York, trial sites are currently enrolling subjects in Canada, the United States and Brazil, with additional sites expected to be added in the coming weeks.