Volunteers to be deliberately exposed to omicron in quest for better vaccines

NCT ID NCT07397455

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Imperial College London Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study will give healthy, vaccinated adults aged 18-50 a dose of the Omicron EG.5.1 COVID-19 variant through nose drops to safely create a mild infection. Researchers aim to find the right dose that infects 50-70% of volunteers with few or no symptoms. Participants will stay in quarantine for 10-12 days for close monitoring, with follow-up for 6 months. The goal is to build a reliable model for testing future vaccines and treatments.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: SARS-CoV-2 Omicron EG.5.1 virus (given as nose drops)
What this could lead to: If successful, this study will create a reliable human infection model to quickly test new COVID-19 vaccines and treatments against Omicron variants.
What could go wrong: This is an early-phase safety and dose-finding study with only 38 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The virus is given intentionally, so mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms are expected.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

COVID-19

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19)

Contacts and locations

Locations

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
RECRUITING

London, SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
RECRUITING

London, W12 0HS, United Kingdom
Royal Free London Nhs Foundation Trust
RECRUITING

London, NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
University Hospital Southampton Nhs Foundation Trust
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Southampton, S016 6YD, United Kingdom
University of Oxford
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Oxford, OX3 7LE, United Kingdom