Patrick Soon-Shiong, M.D., executive chairman of ImmunityBio and NantKwest (NantKwest)
ImmunityBio and NantKwest have begun dosing participants with subcutaneous, sublingual and oral COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The trials are designed to determine which combination of routes of administration holds the most potential.
While a clutch of COVID-19 vaccines are now in commercial use around the world, the potential for the coronavirus to become a pathogen that continues to circulate for years means there may be a long-term opportunity for prophylactics. ImmunityBio and NantKwest are part of a group of vaccine developers working to seize that opportunity.
The partners recently took a step forward when dosing began in clinical trials in the U.S. and South Africa. Two U.S. phase 1b clinical trials are evaluating the effect of giving sublingual or oral vaccines in addition to a subcutaneous formulation. Six subjects have been dosed in each U.S. trial.