On Oct. 11, 2022, researchers from the University of Oxford have reported new findings from a Phase 1 clinical trial studying the safety and immune response of an intranasally-administered vaccine against COVID-19.

The study was performed at the University in collaboration with AstraZeneca and used the same vaccine based on the ChAdOx1 adenovirus vector, as is already licensed for use by injection.

In their findings (published in eBioMedicine), the researchers reported mucosal antibody responses were seen in a minority of participants. Systemic immune responses to intranasal vaccination were also weaker compared with intramuscular vaccination. Therefore, the vaccine did not generate a consistent mucosal antibody nor a strong systemic immune response.