Australian-made coronavirus vaccine COVAX-19 shows promise in trials

An Australian-made vaccine has progressed to the final stages of a human clinical trial, after achieving strong preliminary results showing its efficacy in resisting Covid-19 and preventing lung infection.

COVAX-19 remains the most advanced of Australia’s locally developed vaccines, after the University of Queensland and CSL cancelled its own production back in December 2020. Picture: David Caird

An Australian-made vaccine named COVAX-19 has progressed to the final stages of a human clinical trial, after strong preliminary results demonstrating its ability to resist coronavirus and prevent lung infection.

Scientists at South Australia’s Flinders University, working to develop a Sars-CoV-19 vaccine since pandemic began, have published new peer-reviewed research that suggests its formula cannot only prevent lung infection but potentially reduce the risk of viral transmission.

COVAX-19 remains the most advanced of Australia’s locally developed vaccines.

The research, conducted in conjunction with the Kirby Institute and the Centre for Vaccines and Immunology at the University of Georgia, focuses on producing an effective protein-based vaccine that can be manufactured on a large scale and remain stable in normal refrigerated conditions.

Flinders vaccine specialist Nikolai Petrovsky, who leads the development project, said the initial results were very promising and provide a strong insight into the vaccine’s future potential.

“We’ve now completed a comprehensive phase of animal testing that saw us use the vaccine in mice, hamsters, ferrets and monkeys, and it’s shown it to be very safe and effective. We’re getting some early data on the human clinical trials, which also looks promising.

“It indicates that two doses of the vaccine may also be able to reduce the risk of transmission based on the lack of virus shedding in the noses of ferrets,” said Professor Petrovsky, adding that mice and ferrets, susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, are strong indicators of its effectiveness. “We’ve established a US study to test the ability of our vaccine in reducing transmission in so-called ‘naive animals’. If it shows a transmission-blocking effect it would be a game changer.”

Professor Petrovsky said the creation of COVAX-19 relied on a combination of artificial intelligence and protein engineering in insect cells. It was then purified using Advax, an Australian-developed product derived from the plant sugar Inulin, which increases the immune response triggered by the vaccine.

“We’ve tried to produce something that is dynamic and responsive to different variants … we need something that not just prevents infection but also attacks its transmission.”

After its second phase of clinical trials, Professor Petrovsky said, COVAX-19 could be approved by the end of 2021.