How to join next-generation COVID vaccine trials in Morayfield

Published 12:00pm 25 August 2021

The Health Hub Morayfield will soon become one of just two centres in the world running clinical trials on a next-generation coronavirus vaccine.

USC Clinical Trials will be using the Dickson Rd centre and it’s Sippy Downs base to trial a new potential COVID-19 vaccine, produced by American company Icosavax.

It is hoped to provide better protection against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Join the study

The study needs healthy participants aged 18 to 69, vaccinated and unvaccinated against COVID-19, for about eight clinic visits and three phone calls over a seven-month period.

Participants will be reimbursed for their time and travel costs.

The study will be assessing the new potential vaccine’s safety and ability to generate good immune responses in two groups of volunteers.

The first group will involve participants who have not had COVID-19 or received a COVID vaccine. The second will require those who have full COVID-19 vaccination.

Trial's aim

USC Clinical Trial’s Principal Investigator Dr Rob Scott will oversee the clinical trial, which aims to identify the optimal dose and safety of this virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine that has been produced using nanoparticle technology.

“Virus-like particles display multiple copies of the protective antigens in a manner that closely resembles viruses but contain no genetic material,” Dr Scott said.

“Licensed VLP vaccines are well known to induce a robust and durable immune response. This type of vaccine can also be redirected towards new coronavirus strains as they emerge.”

Research vital

USC Clinical Trials Director Lucas Litewka said the need for new and continuing research into potential COVID-19 vaccines was fundamental to improving our pandemic response and preparedness.

“We hope to build upon our experience in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to partner on this new and innovative vaccine technology,” he said.

Those interested in participating can find more information at www.usc.edu.au/trials

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