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ImmunityBio (IBRX) Reports Positive COVID-19 Vaccine Data

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Clinical-stage immunotherapy company, ImmunityBio, Inc. (IBRX - Free Report) , reported encouraging initial data on its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The data demonstrated that a single subcutaneous injection of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate in healthy phase I study participants stimulates the generation of T cells that are reactive to the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) protein antigens delivered by the vaccine.

The magnitude of this T cell response was equivalent to those seen for S & N T cell responses from previously infected convalescent SARS-CoV-2 patients.  The mean level of T cells generated in response to the hAd5 S+N T cell vaccine was ten times higher for N-specific T cells just 14-16 days after the single dose. By day 21, both S and N T cell responses achieved levels ten times higher as compared to pre-vaccination levels.

Per the company, these findings provide the potential of the hAd5 S + N T cell vaccine for use as a "Universal T Cell Booster" to enhance T cell immunity in healthy recipients of current vaccines or previously infected convalescent subjects.

The phase Ib study is ongoing to explore the safety and immunogenicity of subcutaneous, oral and sublingual prime-boost combinations of the hAd5 S + N vaccine. 

The company’s shares have surged 143.7% in the year so far against the industry's decline of 6.5%.

 

The emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 pose a significant threat as authorized vaccines face challenges.

Per the company, current vaccines target the S protein, leaving open the potential for antigen drift (mutation) and rendering these vaccines to be less effective against variants. ImmunityBio aims to develop the second-generation COVID-19 vaccine, which is room-temperature stable, can be self-administered orally and generates both antibody and long-term T cell immunity.

The FDA has already granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) /BioNTech and Moderna’s (MRNA - Free Report) vaccines for COVID-19. Last month, the FDA granted EUA to Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ - Free Report) single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in individuals 18 years of age and older.

ImmunityBio currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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