LI Biotech Startup To Test Coronavirus Vaccine On Humans: Reports

FARMINGDALE, NY — Codagenix, a Long Island-based biotechnology startup, will conduct a human trial of the coronavirus vaccine, according to reports.

Roughly 50 paid young adult volunteers will test the vaccine's safety, Newsday reported. The trials will be performed in London by Dublin-based Open Orphan plc. The Codagenix vaccine is made from a live, but weakened, version of the coronavirus that is altered to slow its ability to copy itself, according to Newsday.

The healthy volunteers will be infected with the COVID-19 virus, and the trial is expected to begin in fall, BioWorld reported. Data is expected to be collected by the end of the year. The vaccine contains all SARS-CoV-2 proteins but replicates slowly, the company said.

"Based on our animal data, we expect this vaccine to be effective with a single dose, but will also evaluate a repeat dose to assess potential for boosting and as a model for protection from wild-type challenge," Sybil Tasker, Codagenix’s chief medical officer, Codagenix BioWorld.

Codagenix is located at the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park in Farmingdale.