Encouraged by clinical trials, an Israeli startup hopes to make an oral COVID vaccine booster commercially available within a year.

An Israeli startup company developing a booster COVID vaccine for people who have already been vaccinated announced that preclinical tests on laboratory rats yielded promising results.

The vaccine is administered orally.

In a statement, the Qiryat Shemona-based Migvax said its vaccine resulted in “markedly higher neutralizing antibod[ies]” and “elicited more effective neutralizing antibodies.”

The Migvax formulation may also “remain effective for longer periods of time before requiring a booster” and does not require deep freeze storage, making it easier to transport. The company said the vaccine would still require regular refrigeration.

Administering the booster orally will also benefit other countries struggling to keep the pandemic under control.

“Oral boosters such as our MigVax-101 will be key enablers that will help health organizations the world over transition from ‘panic mode’ to routine, due to their ability to reduce the cost and expand the reach of ongoing vaccination programs,” the statement said.

Migvax’s statement said it was seeking financing to launch the next phase of clinical trials, aiming for commercial availability within 9-12 months.

(United with Israel).