Israeli company Oravax begins trials of oral vaccine against Delta variant

Israeli company Oravax has begun trials of an oral vaccine against the Delta variant.

Oravax’s virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine is being tested in trials against COVID-19 variants including the fast-spreading Delta mutation.

“Our vaccine is a particularly strong candidate against the evolving COVID-19 virus due to its unique targeting of three proteins rather than one. With the Delta and other variants proving a challenge to health administrators globally, Oravax’s VLP technology could prove even more important in the effort to combat COVID,” said Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed.

GMP manufacturing for the oral vaccine is underway. The oral VLP COVID-19 vaccine is being developed for use both as a standalone vaccine as well as a booster for people who have been previously vaccinated for COVID-19.

If tests are successful, the oral vaccine would offer enormous logistical, financial, and environmental benefits for the billions of people slated to receive it, particularly in parts of the world where access to healthcare is limited.

Experts including at the World Health Organization expect booster shots will be needed for both general and at-risk populations. As previously reported by the EWN, care home residents in Cantabria, Northern Spain, are likely to be administered with a third booster dose soon.

Related:

One overlooked cause for vaccine hesitancy is a fear of needles.

Described within medical communities as trypanophobia, the condition was first officially recognized in 1995 following the publication of James G. Hamilton’s paper “Needle phobia: a neglected diagnosis.”

In Hamilton’s studies, he estimates that around 10% of Americans suffer from needle phobia, although others suggest it may be higher, given that those with a fear of needles are likely to avoid medical treatment altogether.

However, with Anthony Fauci speculating back in March 2021 that reaching herd immunity would require 70 to 85% of the population to be vaccinated, every dose counts.

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