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CompletedNCT05209009Updated May 2, 2024

A Clinical Trial of COVAC-2 in Adults

A Phase 2 interventional study of COVAC-2 and Saline Placebo in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, sponsored by University of Saskatchewan. Completed at 2 sites in Uganda. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-05-02.

Sponsored by University of Saskatchewan · Phase 2, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
150
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

VIDO has developed a vaccine called COVAC-2.

The COVAC-2 study vaccine contains a portion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, called S1. The spike protein is the part of the virus that is responsible for attaching to the surface of host cells. COVAC-2 contains a SWE adjuvant. An adjuvant is a compound that is added to a vaccine to help the vaccine produce a better immune response. The SWE adjuvant is similar to another adjuvant, MF59, that is found in influenza vaccines and MF59 containing vaccines have been given to millions of people around the world. The vaccine is expected to stimulate the body to make antibodies against the S1 protein. The antibodies will recognize the viral spike protein if the body is exposed to the virus and prevent severe COVID-19 illness. In animal studies, the immune response generated by the COVAC-2 vaccine was able to protect the vaccinated animals against a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.

This is a Phase 2, placebo-controlled, observer-blind, age-stratified randomized, multicentre study to test the safety and immunogenicity of a dose level of the COVAC-2 vaccine (25 µg protein) administered twice (4 weeks apart) in generally healthy adults 18+ years of age. Up to 300 participants will be enrolled. For an individual participant, the duration of study will be approximately 12 months from the first vaccination (Day 0).

02

Conditions studied

  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2
03

In context

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

382 studies on the registry are indexed under Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; 14 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 150 is close to the median of 150 across 213 interventional studies indexed under Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Browse Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Saskatchewan is the lead sponsor of 237 studies on the registry; 33 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  1. Generally healthy male and female adults aged 18 years of age or older at the time of signing the informed consent form;
  2. Good general health as determined by screening evaluation not greater than 30 days before injection of first dose;

    Note: Participants who are overtly healthy as determined by medical evaluation or are considered medically stable according to the judgment of the investigator. A stable medical condition is defined as disease not requiring significant change in therapy or hospitalisation for worsening disease during the 3 months prior to enrolment, and/or hospitalization within the entire study period is not anticipated. Also, the participant appears likely to be able to remain in follow-up through the end of protocol-specified period. Mild to moderate well-controlled comorbidities are allowed.

  3. If female of child-bearing potential and heterosexually active, practice of adequate contraception for 30 days prior to injection, negative pregnancy test on the day of injection, and agreement to continue adequate contraception until 180 days after the second injection;
  4. Male participants are eligible to participate in the study if they agree to the following requirements during the study period and for at least 28 days after the last injection of study dose, i.e.,

    o Be abstinent from any heterosexual intercourse with a female of childbearing potential as their preferred and usual lifestyle.

    OR

    o Must agree to use a male condom when engaging in any activity that allows for passage of ejaculate to another person. In addition to male condom use, a highly effective method of contraception should be considered in women of child-bearing potential partners of male participants.

    AND

    o Must refrain from donating sperm; and

  5. Written informed consent, after review of the consent form and having adequate opportunity to discuss the study with an investigator or a qualified designee and pass the "Test of Understanding" (up to 3 attempts). For participants who cannot read or write, the consent must be witnessed by a literate third party not involved in study conduct.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Presence of any febrile illness or any known or suspected acute illness on the day of any immunization;
  2. Clinically significant bleeding disorder (e.g., clotting factor deficiency, coagulopathy, or platelet disorder), or prior history of significant bleeding or bruising following IM injections or venipuncture.
  3. Any condition, which in the opinion of the Investigator, may make the participant inappropriate for the study;
  4. Receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy or history of receiving chemotherapy in last 5 years other than topical agents;
  5. Receipt of systemic glucocorticoids (a dose ≥ 20 mg/day prednisone or equivalent for 14 days) within 1 month, or any other cytotoxic or immunosuppressive drug within 6 months;
  6. Cancer diagnosis in the last 5 years, excluding basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, which are allowed;
  7. Presence of autoimmune disease;
  8. Receipt of any investigational drug within 6 months;
  9. Receipt of any non-COVID-19 authorized vaccines within 2 weeks of receiving study dose injection;
  10. Receipt of any authorized COVID-19 vaccine prior to study enrollment;
  11. Receipt of any other experimental SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 or other experimental coronavirus vaccine(s) at any time prior to or during the study;
  12. Receipt of blood products or immunoglobulin (IVIg or IMIg) within 3 months of study entry/baseline serologic evaluation;
  13. Current anti-tuberculosis therapy;
  14. History of any reaction or hypersensitivity likely to be exacerbated by any component of the study vaccine;
  15. Hematologic or biochemical laboratory abnormalities (blood or urine), as defined by lab normal ranges. To exclude transient abnormalities, the investigator may repeat a test once, and if the repeat test is normal according to local reference ranges, participant may be enrolled. Grade 1 abnormalities of laboratory values will not be exclusionary if considered not clinically significant by the investigator; and
  16. Pregnant and breastfeeding females.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
150 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Group A

    COVAC-2 25 µg: 200 generally healthy adults \> 18 years of age receive the vaccine on Day 0, followed by a second dose on Day 28.

    Biological: COVAC-2

  • Placebo comparator
    Group B

    100 generally healthy adults \> 18 years of age receive a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 0, followed by a dose of normal saline (placebo) on Day 28.

    Biological: Saline Placebo

Interventions

  • BiologicalCOVAC-2

    Intramuscular vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

  • BiologicalSaline Placebo

    Intramuscular injection of saline placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Assessment of the safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccine (COVAC-2) following two consecutive injections (28 days apart) in generally healthy volunteers

    Incidence of solicited adverse events (AE) up to 7 days post-injection; unsolicited AEs up to 28 days post-injection; any clinically significant laboratory up to 28 days post-injection; and any serious AEs (SAEs), medically attended events (MAE), or Adverse Event of Special Interest (AESI) up to Day 365.

    Time frame: Up to 365 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. To assess the induction of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) antibodies following two consecutive injections (28 days apart) of COVAC-2 vaccine through use of Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) up to Day 365

    SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies to Wuhan spike antigen or pseudovirus neutralizing antibodies pre- injection and post-injection as measured by spike protein-specific ELISA and serum neutralization assay.

    Time frame: Up to 365 days

  2. To assess SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific, cell-mediated response up to Day 365 induced by two consecutive injections (28 days apart) of COVAC-2 vaccine

    Measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-specific, cell-mediated response markers in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) pre- and post-injection.

    Time frame: Up to 365 days

Other outcomes

  1. To evaluate the level of neutralizing antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) up to Day 365 induced by two consecutive injections (28 days apart) of COVAC-2 vaccine

    Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs pre- injection and post-injection as measured by serum neutralization assay.

    Time frame: Up to 365 days

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Uganda Virus Research Institute
    Entebbe, Uganda
  • Epicentre, Mbarara Research Centre
    Mbarara, Uganda
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 2, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05209009
Lead sponsor
University of Saskatchewan
Collaborators
Government of Canada, Government of Saskatchewan, Vaccine Formulation Institute (VFI), Seppic
Responsible party
Volker Gerdts (Director & CEO, University of Saskatchewan) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 26, 2022
Start date
Aug 24, 2022
Primary completion
Mar 1, 2024
Completion
Mar 1, 2024
Last update
May 2, 2024

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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