Biotech company Rocketvax AG’s RVX-sCPD9 candidate for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 has been selected to be part of Project NextGen, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aimed at advancing a pipeline of new, innovative vaccines providing broader and more durable protection against COVID-19.
 
As part of Project NextGen, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health, will support a Phase 1 clinical study with Rocketvax’s RVX-sCPD9 vaccine, subject to regulatory approval. NIAID will sponsor the study.
 
“We are extremely pleased with the support from the US NIH/NIAID and the clinical potential of our RVX-sCPD9 live-attenuated vaccine. This vaccine is based on our proprietary reverse genetics engineering platform technology (Viruflex) and NIH will provide non-dilutive financial support for the advancement of our lead vaccine candidate,” said Vladimir Cmiljanović, Ph.D., Rocketvax’s CEO. “Partnership with the NIH/NIAID will advance the development of a next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccine platform into the clinical stage.”
 
Rocketvax’s lead candidate uses convenient nasal administration and, in animal studies, demonstrated high efficacy across viral strains, long-lasting protection, and the ability to prevent virus transmission.
 
The company believes that this clinical study will reinforce its efforts in extending the platform beyond SARS-CoV-2, focusing on infectious diseases, pandemic readiness, and cancer.