Recruits wanted for needle-free Covid-19 vax trial at WCH in Adelaide

It’s potentially another Covid-19 vaccine option – and it’s being tested here in SA. But unlike the other jabs on offer, this one is needle-free.

The Women’s and Children’s Hospital is recruiting volunteers for Australia’s first phase 1 human trial of a Covid-19 gene-based DNA vaccine, delivered in a needle-free system.

The COVALIA trial, seeking 150 adult volunteers, uses a device that penetrates the skin with a jet spray instead of a needle, designed to make sure the vaccine gets inside the cells to encourage good uptake by the immune system

While not approved apart from research studies in Australia, the needle-free device is already being used to give influenza vaccines in the US.

International pharmaceutical company BioNet developed the vaccine, which uses similar technology to other genetic vaccines already in use, based on DNA sequences from the SARS-CoV2 virus.

The trials are being led by the University of Sydney, Scientia Clinical Research in Sydney, Telethon Kids Institute in Perth and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, working with Australian biotech company Technovalia.

The trial will use different levels of the vaccine to work out the best dose and whether it is tolerated and safe. Some participants will receive a placebo. The potential next-generation vaccine has no additives or preservatives.

New Covid vaccine candidate Jessica Ward and nurse Meredith Krieg at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Picture: Michael Marschall

The phase 1 trial will recruit 150 participants with screening and enrolments of participants now open. The key goal is to examine the safety of two doses of the vaccine given one month apart. If the trial is successful, then a larger phase 2 trial will be undertaken.

The trial will also look at whether a lower vaccine dose may work better by vaccinating into the skin rather than the muscle. This is important as it could enable more people to be vaccinated with the available vaccine supply.

Jessica Ward, 22, of Walkley Heights has volunteered for the trial and is in the process of being screened.

She is about to start her honours degree in advanced health and medical sciences and is well aware of the benefits and risks of vaccination.

“I’m absolutely keen to be involved. I can’t get vaccinated yet as I’m not in the schedule, but want to, and believe the more research and information we have on vaccines the sooner we get this pandemic under control and return to some sort of normal life,” Ms Ward said.

Co-investigator Professor Helen Marshall, from the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and University of Adelaide, welcomed the trial.

“It’s a great opportunity for Australians to contribute to developing safe and effective Covid vaccines for the Australian population and especially as it’s a needle-free vaccination,” Prof Marshall said.

The needle-free PharmaJet device for the Covid-19 vaccine. Picture supplied by PharmaJet

Prof Marshall said the WCH hopes to recruit around 40 of the 150 volunteers nationally and to begin vaccinations in the second week of July.

“There are multiple benefits from this trial including not using needles - no-one really likes a needle so delivering it by a quick jet stream of fluid into the muscle will be welcomed,” she said.

Lead investigator Associate Professor Nicholas Wood, from the University of Sydney, said: “We are very excited to start enrolment along with our colleagues in Perth and Adelaide and to undertake the first needle-free Covid vaccine trial in Australia.

“The start of the COVALIA study is a significant milestone for all involved in this one-of-a- kind partnership between Australian institutions, the industry and the Australian Government, with $3m in funding from the Medical Research Future Fund,” he said.

Co-investigator Professor Peter Richmond, from the Telethon Kids Institute, said it was vital to continue to develop the next generation of Covid-19 vaccines to seek better safety and immune responses.

“Having a greater range of vaccines available increases global vaccine capacity to ensure everyone has access to immunisation,” he said.

Click here for more information on the trial.

The study emerged as new SA Health data shows 416,120 people across the state have had at least one coronavirus vaccination. Of these, 94,234 have had their second dose.

Almost 22,500 more people had their second jab in the past week, the majority of which were Pfizer.

Federal data shows 32.4 out of every 100 SA adults have been immunised, up from 28.6 last week.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said 11,000 more Pfizer appointments had been created at the Wayville mass clinic in coming weeks.