UK Pharma Company Scancell Selects COVID-19 Vaccine for Clinical Trials
UK drug developer Scancell said it has chosen a COVID-19 vaccine candidate, SN14, from more than a dozen potential products to advance to a clinical trial.
SN14 works by targeting the coronavirus’ nucleocapsid and spike proteins to prevent viral replication using the company’s ImmunoBody DNA vaccine technology.
In October, Scancell signed a manufacturing deal for SN14 with Cobra Biologics, a Cognate BioServices subsidiary, ahead of a planned phase 1 trial in 2021. The company, along with partners University of Nottingham and Trent University, received a British government grant to support the study.
The vaccine “could have significant advantages over first-generation vaccines, either on its own or in combination with other vaccines to broaden and strengthen the immune response for long- term protection,” Scancell said.