Local pharmaceutical company prepares to start Phase 1 trials of an oral COVID-19 vaccine that may act as a booster

Local pharmaceutical company prepares to start Phase 1 trials of an oral COVID-19 vaccine that may act as a booster

By Tyler Pratt

May 28, 2021

U.S. Speciality Formulations, based in Bethlehem, is preparing to launch Phase 1 trials of an oral,  liquid COVID-19 vaccine that could change how people get future COVID vaccines.

Oral vaccines, like the one the local pharmaceutical maker is working on, may not need to be refrigerated or even given by a health professional.

Kyle Flanigan, chief executive officer at U.S. Specialty Formulations, says data has shown the  vaccine formula can be adjusted to account for variants of the virus which has implications for follow-up doses down the line, regardless of what your first shots were.

“This will act as a booster to help continue to train your immune system to produce antibodies,” Flanagan says.  

And since we’ll probably need future vaccine doses to stay protected, a liquid you drink could work as a booster,Flanigan says. Production has gone slower than planned. But he hopes once the vaccine is proven to be safe, that will help speed things up.

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