On Aug. 20, 2021, Amyris announced promising in-vivo results in a study of its licensed RNA vaccine through intranasal delivery, developed in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI).

Current mRNA vaccine technologies are providing limited immunity protection for the upper respiratory system. As a result, vaccinated people may experience viral replication and viral shedding regardless of variants.

In-vivo results indicate that, when delivered to the mucosal membranes via intranasal administration, the Amyris/IDRI RNA vaccine generates antibodies and provides upper respiratory protection for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), which Amyris believes has the potential to provide fuller protection against current variants of SARS-CoV-2. The Amyris/IDRI RNA technology may also support the potential for intranasal vaccine delivery that can protect against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory diseases, including the flu.

If approved and commercialized, the Amyris/IDRI RNA vaccine is targeted to be more accessible to people in underserved countries. In addition, the intranasal vaccine may offer improved upper respiratory protection beyond currently approved vaccines.  

Amyris is a science and technology leader in the research, development and production of sustainable ingredients for the Clean Health & Beauty and Flavors & Fragrances markets. Amyris uses an impressive array of exclusive technologies, including state-of-the-art machine learning, robotics and artificial intelligence.