A Clinical Trial of COVAC-2 in Healthy Adults

NCT ID: NCT04702178

Last Updated: 2023-05-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 61 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-02-10
• Study Completion Date: 2022-11-02

Brief Summary

VIDO has developed a vaccine called COVAC-2.

The study vaccine contains a portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, called S1. The spike protein is the part of the virus that is responsible for attaching to the surface of host cells. COVAC-2 contains a SWE adjuvant. An adjuvant is a compound that is added to a vaccine to help the vaccine produce a better immune response. The SWE adjuvant belongs to a family of oil-based adjuvants that have been given to millions of people around the world as part of influenza vaccines. The COVAC-2 vaccine is expected to stimulate the body to make antibodies against the S1 protein. The antibodies will recognize the viral spike protein if the body is exposed to the virus and prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19 illness. In animal studies, the immune response generated by the COVAC-2 vaccine was able to protect the vaccinated animals against a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Phase 1 is a multi-centred trial of the COVAC-2 vaccine to be completed in Canada. It will be a randomized, observer-blinded, and placebo-controlled study to assess the safety and immunogenicity of three dosing levels (25, 50, and 100 µg protein) administered twice (4 weeks apart) in healthy adults 18 through 54 years of age (Phase 1a) and 55 years of age and older (Phase 1b).

Enrolment and vaccination of participants will be staggered over time based on participant age and vaccine dose. Approval will be sought from the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) to proceed with the second dose in each group, to enroll at each dose level, and to enroll in the older age group for each dose level.

Within the same age group, the 8 participants receiving the lowest dose are randomized with 4 participants receiving placebo; the 8 participants receiving the medium dose are randomized with 4 participants receiving placebo; and the 8 participants receiving the highest dose are randomized with 4 participants receiving placebo.

Within each dose level of 12 participants, it is proposed to immunize a first cohort of 3 participants (including at least 2 active vaccine participants) and pending no holding rule is met after 48 hours, to immunize the remaining 9 participants within that dose level.

Conditions

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SEQUENTIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: QUADRUPLE

Study Groups

Group A-2

COVAC-2 25 µg: 8 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

COVAC-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Group B-2

Placebo Control: 4 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 28.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline Placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Group C-2

COVAC-2 50 µg: 8 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

COVAC-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Group D-2

Placebo Control: 4 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of saline placebo on Day 28.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline Placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Group E-2

COVAC-2 100 µg: 8 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

COVAC-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Group F-2

Placebo Control: 4 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of saline placebo on Day 28.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline Placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Group G-2

COVAC-2 25 µg: 8 or 9 healthy adults ≥ 55 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

COVAC-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Group H-2

Placebo Control: 4 or 5 healthy adults ≥ 55 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 28.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline Placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Group I-2

COVAC-2 50 µg: 8 healthy adults ≥ 55 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

COVAC-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Group J-2

Placebo Control: 4 healthy adults ≥ 55 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of saline placebo on Day 28.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Saline Placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Interventions

COVAC-2

Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Saline Placebo

Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

Intervention Type: BIOLOGICAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

To be eligible for the study, each participant must satisfy all of the following criteria:

1. Male and female healthy adults ages 18 years of age or older;

2. Good general health as determined by screening evaluation no greater than 30 days before immunization;

3. If female of child-bearing potential and heterosexually active, practice of adequate contraception for 30 days prior to injection, negative pregnancy test on the day of injection, and agreement to continue adequate contraception until 180 days after the second injection and;

4. Written informed consent, after review of the consent form and having adequate opportunity to discuss the study with an investigator or a qualified designee.

Exclusion Criteria

Participant with any of the following criteria will be excluded:

1. Presence of any febrile illness or any known or suspected acute illness on the day of any immunization;

2. Any physical findings suggestive of acute or chronic illness;

3. Any immunodeficiency (congenital or acquired);

4. Receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy or history of receiving chemotherapy in last 5 years other than topical agents;

5. Receipt of systemic glucocorticoids (a dose ≥ 20 mg/day prednisone or equivalent for 14 days) within 1 month, or any other cytotoxic or immunosuppressive drug within 6 months;

6. Cancer diagnosis in the last 5 years, excluding basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, which are allowed;

7. Presence of autoimmune disease;

8. Receipt of any investigational drug within 6 months;

9. Receipt of any non-COVID-19 authorized vaccines within 2 weeks of study immunization;

10. Receipt of any authorized COVID-19 vaccine prior to study enrollment;

11. Receipt of any other experimental SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 or other experimental coronavirus vaccine(s) at any time prior to or during the study;

12. Receipt of blood products or immunoglobulin (IVIg or IMIg) within 3 months of study entry/baseline serologic evaluation;

13. Current anti-tuberculosis therapy;

14. History of any reaction or hypersensitivity likely to be exacerbated by any component of the study vaccine;

15. Hematologic or biochemical laboratory abnormalities (blood or urine), as defined by lab normal ranges. To exclude transient abnormalities, the investigator may repeat a test once, and if the repeat test is normal according to local reference ranges, participant may be enrolled. Grade 1 abnormalities of laboratory values will not be exclusionary if considered not clinically significant by the investigator and;

16. Known current or previous laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-1 OR SARS-CoV-2 infection, as documented by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test from a nasal swab OR known or laboratory-confirmed positive serology.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Government of Canada

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Government of Saskatchewan

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Seppic

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Saskatchewan

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Volker Gerdts

Director & CEO Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Joanne M Langley, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Canadian Center for Vaccinology

Locations

Canadian Center for Vaccinology, Dalhousie University

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Royal University Hospital

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Countries

Canada

References

Garg R, Liu Q, Van Kessel J, Asavajaru A, Uhlemann EM, Joessel M, Hamonic G, Khatooni Z, Kroeker A, Lew J, Scruten E, Pennington P, Deck W, Prysliak T, Nickol M, Apel F, Courant T, Kelvin AA, Van Kessel A, Collin N, Gerdts V, Koster W, Falzarano D, Racine T, Banerjee A. Efficacy of a stable broadly protective subunit vaccine platform against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Vaccine. 2024 Aug 13;42(20):125980. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.028. Epub 2024 May 19.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 38769033 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

COVAC-001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id