The American biotechnology company Vaxart is currently testing a new Covid-19 vaccine in pill form that is easy to store, with hopes of making significant progress in the global fight against Covid-19, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The US is testing a new, easy-to-store Covid-19 vaccine in pill form. (Illustrative image: Getty).
According to a report by the Straits Times on July 30, Dr. Sean Tucker, the head of science at Vaxart, based in San Francisco, confirmed that the oral vaccine is designed to overcome the current challenges of difficult storage and transportation.
Dr. Tucker hopes that the new oral vaccine will create a breakthrough in vaccination campaigns in humid, hot regions that lack robust infrastructure. Currently, Vaxart’s product is in phase 2 of testing.
Most Covid-19 vaccines currently used worldwide must be stored at low or very low temperatures. For instance, AstraZeneca’s vaccine needs to be stored at temperatures between 2-8 degrees Celsius, while Pfizer’s vaccine requires -70 degrees Celsius. This poses significant challenges for low- and middle-income countries that lack the necessary vaccine storage infrastructure.
