HKU COVID-19 vaccine candidate approved for human clinical trial

HKU’s researchers developed the vaccine candidate based on the established flu-based DelNS1 live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) platform. This vaccine strategy has several unique properties:

It is a flu-based vaccine and can combine with any seasonal flu vaccine strains.

It is live attenuated with the deletion of the key virulent element and immune antagonist, NS1, from the viral genome and is potentially more immunogenic than wild type influenza virus.

It can be produced in chicken embryonated eggs and MDCK cells which are proven production systems for influenza vaccines.

Its features are highly safe and is used as nasal spray to induce specific immunity in the airway of humans.