INO-4800 (Inovio Pharmaceuticals) 

DNA-based, 2 doses

Stable at room temperature for over a year; frozen shipment not needed; interim results from phase 1 human trial (n = 40): favorable safety and immunogenicity; expanded to include older participants. 

Phase 2/3 trial (INNOVATE) ongoing; phase 2 to evaluate 2-dose regimen (1 mg or 2 mg) vs placebo in 400 participants.

Grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate testing and scale up a smart device (Cellectra 3PSP) for large-scale intradermal vaccine delivery; funds also received from the US Department of Defense.

CVnCoV (CureVac) 

mRNA, 2 doses

Preliminary data from phase 1 dose-escalating trial: 12-µg dose provided IgG antibody levels similar to convalescent plasma. Phase 2b/3 trial enrolment (goal, 35,000 in Europe and Latin America) ongoing. 

Vaccine candidates V590 and V591 (Merck) 

Vaccine V591 to be based on a modified measles virus that delivers portions of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Phase 1 trial ongoing.

Vaccine V590 makes use of Merck’s Ebola vaccine technology; human trials ongoing. 

COVID-19 S-Trimer (GlaxoSmithKline [GSK]) 

Partnering with multiple companies using GSK’s adjuvants (compounds that enhance vaccine efficacy).

CpG 1018 adjuvant vaccine (Dynavax) 

Under development with Sanofi’s S-protein COVID-19 antigen and GSK’s adjuvant technology that stimulates the immune system; phase 1/2 trial ongoing.

UB-612 multitope peptide-based vaccine (COVAXX [division of United Biomedical, Inc]) 

Includes SARS-CoV-2 amino acid sequences of the RBD; further formulated with designer Th and CTL epitope peptides derived from the S2 subunit, membrane, and nucleoprotein regions of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins for inducing memory recall, T-cell activation, and effector functions against SARS-CoV-2.

Company partnering with University of Nebraska Medical Center in the United States; phase 1, open-label, dose escalation study ongoing in Taiwan.

HaloVax (Hoth Therapeutics; Voltron Therapeutics)   

Collaboration with the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital; use of VaxCelerate self-assembling vaccine platform offers 1 fixed immune adjuvant and 1 variable immune target to allow rapid development.

Nanoparticle SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Ufovax) 

Vaccine prototype development utilizing self-assembling protein nanoparticle (1c-SapNP) vaccine platform technology.

PDA0203 (PDS Biotechnology Corp)   

Uses Versamune T-cell-activating platform for vaccine development.

CoVLP recombinant coronavirus virus-like particles (Medicago and GlaxoSmithKline) 

Combines Medicago’s recombinant coronavirus virus-like particles (rCoVLP) with GSK’s adjuvant system; phase 2/3 trial ongoing.

AS03-adjuvanted SCB-2019 (Clover Pharmaceuticals) ^]   

Subunit vaccine containing SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein

Phase 1 trial results reported in December, 2020 showed high level of antibodies. Phase 2/3 trial launching by end of 2020 using GSK adjuvant with goal of 34,000 volunteers. 

Covaxin (Bharat Biotech and Ocugen) 

Whole-virion inactivated vaccine

Developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech’s bio-safety level 3 biocontainment facility. Co-development with Ocugen announced for the US market.

Elicited strong IgG responses against spike (S1) protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 along with strong cellular responses in Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials (n ~1000).

Phase 3 trial in progress in India that involves 26,000 volunteers. 

Recombinant adenovirus type-5-vectored vaccine (Ad5-vectored vaccine; Sinopharm [China])   

Approved in China and Saudi Arabia; preliminary data: 86% efficacy; phase 2 trial: seroconversion of neutralizing antibodies observed in 59% and 47% of those in 2-dose groups; seroconversion of binding antibody seen in 96-97% of participants; Positive specific T-cell responses seen in 88-90% of participants. 

CoronaVac (Ad5-vectored vaccine; Sinovac [China]) 

Limited use in China. Interim phase 3 efficacy reports vary widely from several trials. A trial in Brazil reports efficacy of 50-90%. A Turkish trial reports 91.25% efficacy (n = 7,371; data analysis based on 1322 participants – 752 vaccine and 570 placebo).

rAD26 (frozen) and rAd5 vector-based (lyophilized) formulations (Sputnik V; Moscow Gamaleya Institute) 

Phase 1/2 trial complete; approved in Russia; both vaccines safe and well-tolerated with mostly mild adverse events and no serious adverse events; all participants produced anti-spike protein and neutralizing antibodies after second dose, and generated CD4+ and CD8+ responses.

hAd5 -COVID-19 (ImmunityBio)   

Phase 1 trial ongoing; vaccine targets inner nucleocapsid (N) and outer spike (S) protein, which have been engineered to activate T cells and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, respectively.

The dual constructs offer the possibility of durable, long-term cell-mediated immunity with potent antibody stimulation to patients against both the S and N proteins.

MRT5500 (Sanofi and Translate Bio) 

mRNA-based vaccine candidate; preclinical evaluation demonstrated favorable ability to elicit neutralizing antibodies using a 2-dose schedule administered 3 wk apart; phase 1/2 trial anticipated to start in Q4 2020.

AG0302-COVID19 (AnGes and Brickell Biotech) 

Adjuvanted DNA vaccine in phase 1/2 study in Japan; data readouts expected in Q1 of 2021; intent to follow with phase 3 trials in United States and South America.

Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine (AdCOVID; Altimmune, Inc)   

Single-dose vaccine; preclinical results completed at University of Alabama, Birmingham showed stimulation of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in mildly affected lungs as early as 10 d.

ChAdOx1 nCov-19 inhaled (University of Oxford) 

Dose-ranging trial for orally inhaled vaccine beginning phase 1 trials in 30 volunteers in Fall 2020. 

saRNA inhaled (Imperial College of London) 

Dose-ranging trial for orally inhaled vaccine beginning phase 1 trials in 30 volunteers in Fall 2020.

VXA-CoV2-1 oral vaccine (Vaxart) 

Recombinant adenovirus vector type 5 (Ad5) expressing coronavirus antigen and a toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonist as an adjuvant; theorized to confer superior protection compared with injection owing to activation of mucosal immunity; room temperature-stable vaccine tablet entering phase 1 trial in September 2020.

PittCoVacc (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine) 

Vaccine candidate using transdermal microneedle for COVID-19; testing in mice produced antibodies over a 2-wk period; microneedles are made of sugar, thus enabling easy mass production and storage without refrigeration.