(Alliance News) - N4 Pharma PLC on Wednesday said it is planning a proof of concept research project looking at the possible use of Nuvec as a Covid-19 vaccine delivery system.
Shares in N4 Pharma were up 10% at 3.20 pence in London in midday trading.
Nuvec is N4 Pharma's delivery system for vaccines and cancer treatment and has been shown in studies to stimulate an immune response.
The proof of concept study will take place in vitro, outside of living cells, and if successful will proceed to in vivo testing in living cells. N4 noted that it is not itself intending to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, only to see if Nuvec could deliver such a vaccine if developed.
N4 Pharma has not been hurt by the UK government regulations surrounding Covid-19, with its work plan on track and its Australian partner still open and able to supply Nuvec for use in research.
Chief Executive Nigel Theobald said: "Developing a convincing proof of concept data package for Nuvec is a key priority for the company so demonstrating whether Nuvec is capable of loading a plasmid DNA for the coronavirus provides an opportunity to show the versatility and potential for our Nuvec delivery system, and to license Nuvec to partners looking to develop vaccines for this virus.
"We are not doing this work to develop a vaccine for coronavirus but rather to demonstrate to those working on these vaccines how Nuvec may enhance any vaccine and could be beneficial for subsequent vaccines they may be looking to develop for this coronavirus or other viruses that may well surface in the future."
By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com
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N4 Pharma Plc (N4P)