Benzinga | Aug 9, 2021 01:18PM EDT

NRx Pharmaceuticals Announces Initiation Of Phase 2b Trial Of BriLife Vaccine For Covid-19 In Nation Of Georgia

NRx Pharmaceuticals (NRx) (NASDAQ:NRXP), a clinical stage, global biopharmaceutical company today announced it is initiating a phase 2b dose-confirmatory trial of the BriLife(tm) vaccine against COVID-19 in the Nation of Georgia. The vaccine is developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR). The trial is being conducted with oversight from the Senator Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research. The purpose of the study is to confirm the vaccine's ability to generate an immune response against the COVID-19 Delta variant, prior to entering phase 3 trials in multiple nations. The phase 2b program will also incorporate a potential intradermal vaccination option where a small quantity of vaccine is placed into the skin instead of a traditional needle injection into a muscle.

NRx Pharmaceuticals Announces Initiation of Phase 2b Trial of BriLife(tm) Vaccine for Covid-19 in Nation of Georgia

The vaccine differs from other COVID-19 vaccines by presenting the entire COVID-19 spike protein to the body's immune system. The spike protein complex from variants may be added to the BriLife vaccine as new variants are discovered.

The BriLife(tm) vaccine also differs from other COVID-19 vaccine approaches in that it is a self-propagating, live-virus vaccine that may be updated to address new variants of COVID-19 more rapidly than some other vaccine platforms. The clinical trials in Georgia will take place at the same time as the completion of the second phase of clinical trials in Israel. NRx is recruiting volunteers, and expanding the second phase of clinical trials abroad, in order to increase the statistical sample and prepare the regulatory file necessary for further trials.

A spokesperson for Israel's Minister of Defense stated today that, "IIBR will accompany the process and will continue to provide scientific knowledge in order to complete the trials."

"We at NRx are honored to have been selected for this project and grateful for the trust placed in us by the Government of Israel, the people of Georgia, and its neighboring countries," said Prof Jonathan Javitt, MD, MPH, CEO and Chairman of NRx. "As the Delta and subsequent variants continue to threaten the immunity generated by first-generation vaccines, we hope that this new vector-based approach may offer enhanced immunity."