Nasal spray vaccine aims to stop COVID-19 at the source

NCT ID NCT07703475

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 9 times

Summary

This study tests a new type of COVID-19 booster vaccine given as a nasal spray. The vaccine uses a weakened live virus to train the immune system, potentially offering stronger protection in the nose and throat where the virus enters. Researchers are enrolling 80 healthy adults aged 18–64 who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 to check the vaccine's safety and how well it triggers an immune response.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
a live-attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine called RVX-sCPD9, given as a nasal spray
What this could lead to
If successful, this nasal vaccine could provide a more convenient and potentially more effective booster against COVID-19, possibly reducing viral spread.
What could go wrong
This is an early Phase 1 trial with only 80 participants, so safety and immune response are still unproven. The live virus in the vaccine carries a small risk of causing mild COVID-like symptoms.

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

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

About 80 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Nov 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A government research agency

The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 64 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Provides written informed consent before initiation of any study procedures. 2. Able to understand and agree to comply with planned study procedures and be available for all study visits. 3. Non-pregnant adults, 18 through 64 years of age at the time of study product administration. 4. Participants of childbearing potential\* must agree to use or have practiced true abstinence\*\* or use at least one acceptable primary form of contraception\*\*\*. \*These criteria apply to females who are in a heterosexual relationship who are of childbearing potential. Not of childbearing potential include post-menopausal females (defined as having a history of amenorrhea for at least one year) or a documented status as being surgically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, or tubal ligation/salpingectomy). \*\*True abstinence is 100% of the time, no sexual intercourse (penis enters the vagina). Periodic abstinence (e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods. \*\*\*Acceptable forms of primary contraception include a monogamous relationship with a vasectomized partner who has been vasectomized for 180 days or more before the participant's study product administration, intrauterine devices, birth control pills, and injectable/implantable/insertable/transdermal hormonal birth control products. Must have used at least one acceptable primary form of contraception for at least 30 days before study product administration and agree to continue at least one acceptable primary form of contraception through 60 days after study product administration. 5. Participants of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test at screening and within 24 hours before study product administration. 6. In general good health\*. \*As determined by medical history and physical examination, including vital signs, to evaluate acute or ongoing chronic medical diagnoses/conditions that have been present for at least 90 days, which would affect the assessment of the safety of participants. Chronic medical diagnoses/ conditions should be stable for the last 30 days (i.e., no hospitalizations, ER, or urgent care for the condition). This includes no change in chronic prescription medication, dose, or frequency due to deterioration of the chronic medical diagnosis/condition 30 days before the study product administration. Any prescription change due to a change of health care provider, insurance company, etc., or done for financial reasons and in the same class of medication will not be considered a deviation of this inclusion criterion. Participants may be on chronic or as-needed (prn) medications if, in the opinion of the participating site PI or appropriate sub-investigator, they pose no additional risk to participant safety or assessment of reactogenicity and immunogenicity. 7. Receipt of a complete primary authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine series and at least one booster\* with the last vaccination at least 16 weeks before study product administration. \*Booster may be either homologous or heterologous to the primary vaccine series. It must be an FDA-authorized/licensed vaccine, though doses may have been received during a clinical trial (see MOP for further details). 8. Clinical screening laboratory evaluations are within normal reference ranges or grade 1 with no clinical significance (NCS) per the investigator's discretion\*. \*Laboratory evaluations include White Blood Cells \[WBCs\] with differential, hemoglobin \[Hgb\], platelets \[PLTs\], Alanine Transaminase \[ALT\], Aspartate Transaminase \[AST\], Creatinine \[Cr\], Alkaline Phosphatase \[ALP\], and Total Bilirubin \[T. Bili\]). Clinical laboratory evaluations that are below the site reference range, but not graded by the toxicology table, are not exclusionary unless deemed clinically significant by an investigator. 9. Must agree to have samples stored for secondary research. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR at screening. 2. Abnormal vital signs (Grade 1 or higher)\*. \*Grade 1 or higher is equivalent to: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) \>/= 141 mmHg or \</= 89 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) \>/= 91 mmHg. Heart rate (HR) is \>/= 101 beats per minute or \</= 54 beats per minute. Oral temperature \>/= 38.0 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). 3. Self-reported or medically documented SARS-CoV-2 infection (regardless of whether symptomatic or asymptomatic) within 16 weeks prior to study product administration. 4. Participant who is pregnant or breastfeeding. 5. Blood or plasma donation within 4 weeks before study product administration. 6. Receipt of antibody or blood-derived products within 90 days before study product administration. 7. Any self-reported or documented significant medical or psychiatric diseases\* or any other condition that, in the opinion of the site PI or appropriate sub-investigator, precludes study participation. \*Significant medical or psychiatric conditions include but are not limited to drug or alcohol abuse within 6 months of enrollment, significant kidney disease, liver disease, ongoing malignancy, or recent diagnosis of malignancy in the last five years, excluding treated basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and cervical carcinoma in situ, which are allowed. 8. Neurological conditions\*. \*Including history of Bell's palsy, history of four or more migraine headaches in the past 12 months that interfered with normal daily activity or any migraine headache in the past 5 years that required emergency or inpatient medical care, epilepsy, seizures in the last 5 years, encephalopathy, focal neurologic deficits, Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, stroke or transient ischemic attack, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or Alzheimer's disease. 9. History of significant respiratory disease currently requiring daily medications, history of asthma in the past 5 years, or any treatment of respiratory disease exacerbations in the last 5 years. 10. History of cardiovascular disease (e.g., congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease), including any history of myocarditis, pericarditis, or uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia. 11. Any autoimmune disease, including hypothyroidism, without a defined non-autoimmune cause. 12. Has an acute illness determined by the site PI or appropriate sub-investigator within 72 hours before study product administration\*. \*An acute illness that is nearly resolved with only minor residual symptoms remaining is allowable if, in the opinion of the participating site PI or appropriate sub-investigator, the residual symptoms will not interfere with the ability to assess safety parameters as required by the protocol. 13. Has a positive test result for hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C virus RNA (by reflex testing), or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigen/antibody test at screening. 14. Has any confirmed or suspected immunosuppressive or immunodeficient state such as asplenia, recurrent severe infections, and chronic\* immunosuppressant medication within the past 6 months\*\*. \*Chronic means more than 14 continuous days. \*\*Ophthalmic and topical steroids are allowed. See exclusion 19 for intranasal steroids. 15. Has received any investigational study product within 60 days, or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, before study product administration or is planning to receive one during the study. 16. Has a history of hypersensitivity or severe allergic reaction\* to any previous licensed or unlicensed vaccines or the candidate study product components\*\*. \*(e.g., anaphylaxis, generalized urticaria, angioedema, other significant reaction). * See IB for study product formulation. 17. Received or plans to receive licensed inactivated/subunit vaccine within 14 days of study product administration or live vaccine within 28 days of study product administration. 18. Plan to receive a COVID-19 booster vaccine within the 180 days following study product administration. 19. Regular use of intranasal medications, including steroids, and sinus rinsing treatments\*. \*Participants must have had no intranasal medication use for 30 days before study product administration and do not plan to use intranasal medications for 30 days after study product administration for medications other than steroids and for 6 months after study product administration for intranasal steroids (including over the counter (OTC) fluticasone). Participants should not use nasal irrigation or sinus rinsing treatments (e.g., Neti pots or saline washes) for 28 days after the study product administration and 7 days before study visits for the duration of the trial. 20. Use of illicit intranasal drugs in the 5 years before study product administration or plans to use during the study. 21. Current smoker (including cigarettes, marijuana, and vaping) or smoking within the prior 3 months. 22. Planned international travel between study product administration and Day 29 visit. 23. Any significant nasal or upper airway disease\*. \*Including, but not limited to, being prone to epistaxis, has a history of inflammatory rhinitis (including allergic rhinitis) that requires daily medications, cochlear implants, head/neck radiation history, anosmia/dysosmia, and certain ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions, including major anatomic nasopharyngeal abnormality or sinus polyp disease due to chronic sinusitis. 24. Living with a person who has a condition that predisposes to high risk of severe COVID-19 or \>/=2 conditions that predisposes to increased risk of COVID-19 per IDSA guidelines. 25. Healthcare workers with patient-facing responsibilities. 26. Resides in or works in a nursing home or other skilled nursing facility. 27. Allergy or contraindications to nirmatrelvir, ritonavir, or remdesivir.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The study's own enquiry address

    This study publishes an address for enquiries. See it below .

  2. The places running it

    4 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  3. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  4. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Baylor College of Medicine

    Houston, Texas, 77030-3411, United States

  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Vaccine Research Center

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229-3039, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

  • Duke Vaccine and Trials Unit

    Durham, North Carolina, 27703, United States

  • New York University School of Medicine - Langone Medical Center - Vaccine Center

    New York, New York, 10016-6402, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

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