Vaxart is a game changer in the fight against Covid but now many are wondering…. Is it too late? The national infection rate is in a downward trend. The number of people dying from Covid is also going down. Merck is lobbying the FDA to approve their “therapeutic” Covid drug for use. It’s been at least a month since we’ve heard anything about new variants Lambda and Mu, both of which are said to be more infectious and lethal than the Delta variant. Is the Covid race really over for VXRT? Let’s find out.
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Multiple outlets are speculating that the race may be over for VXRT. It's clear the company missed out on vaccinating during the height of the pandemic. Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson shared that market.
Recently, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC he expects the authorization of a coronavirus treatment pill and vaccines for kids to mark the transition from a pandemic into an endemic phase. Merck is requesting authorization of its treatment pill candidate which should come soon. And Pfizer has requested authorization of its vaccine in kids ages five through 11. So a post-pandemic world may be only months away.
All that being said, there are still a few key points that keep VXRT in the running.
A recent study in hamsters showed VXRT’s vaccine candidate reduces airborne transmission of coronavirus. This echo results from Vaxart's phase 2 study of its investigational flu vaccine in humans. The flu candidate cut viral shedding more than an injectable flu vaccine.
Additionally, healthcare facilities will find it easier to store a room-temperature-stable tablet than an injectable vaccine. (For example, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require cold temperatures.)
On top of that, like I’ve said in previous coverage of Vaxart, users prefer a pill over a needle and would gladly avoid the long lines and wait times at vaccination sites and healthcare facilities and cop the pill at the local pharmacy.
And while Merck’s pill is meant to treat the infection, Vaxart’s pill is meant to prevent infection in the first place.
Finally, globally a temperature-controlled vaccine doesn’t stand a chance against the pill in under-developed countries. The tablet will have a much broader reach into rural areas and will be far easier administered as opposed to the injectable counterpart.
That being said, it’s not over for VXRT. The market is still there. The demand is still there. My question now is, will it still be there next spring/summer when the first part of phase 2 trials is over? Do we hope for another variant to spread around the globe or do we start promoting Vaxart’s other tablets? Ladies and gentlemen, time is of the essence. Is Vaxart running a sprint or a marathon? What do you think? Is it over for VXRT? Let me know in the comments.
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