Biden administration officials are expressing concerns that the slow progress in the development of a nasal vaccine to Covid-19 within the U.S. could pose a security risk, as China, Iran and Russia accept their own vaccines via the mouth or nose.

Although oral and nasal vaccines are being researched across the U.S., none are near to being released onto the market since Congress hasn’t yet approved additional funds for studies and developments. Pharmaceutical companies of all sizes are not investing in the next generation of vaccines due to the fact that they don’t have the potential for profits.

China already has an covid vaccine, which is ingested via the mouth.

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India, Russia and Iran have approved nasal vaccines. While none of them have been confirmed to prevent covid transmission, experts claim that it is possible that the U.S. could find itself in a position of disadvantage globally especially if a more deadly version is discovered.

“Intranasal vaccines — vaccines that are variant-resistant — those are critical tools to have in the toolbox for protecting Americans, not just for covid but also for future pandemics and also for future biosecurity threats,” Ashish Jha, the administration’s Covid-19 response coordinator.

The center has traced both oral and nasal covid vaccines that are in their development both in the U.S. and abroad. The center is conducting nasal tests of Modern vaccine as well as two other forms of injectable Covid-19 vaccines on monkeys Bok said. But it’s unlikely that this will bring about an inhalation-based covid vaccine being accepted by the U.S. anytime soon because the funding for clinical trials and production isn’t there.

Bok and Jha declare that the price is the highest. If China could develop an oral vaccine capable of foiling Covid transmission, it could alter the current path of pandemic which is causing many in the U.S. to emerge and much of China locked down.

Although India, Iran, China and Russia haven’t proven that their non-injectable vaccines can stop transmission, the possibility is there, according to experts.

“Countries that have a lower rate of transmission will be healthier and are likely to be more prosperous economies. In addition, the U.S. needs to catch up with the rest of the world,” said Marty Moore, chief scientist and the founder of Meissa Vaccines, a small biotech company looking to create an oral vaccine for the U.S.

Stopping the transmission

Many researchers believe that the nose holds the key to stopping the spread of coronavirus however there isn’t a consensus on whether nasal vaccinations may be more efficient than injectable vaccines, because evidence from clinical trials will be needed to prove this.

There is a disagreement within Congress on how to finance an additional aid package or whether it’s even needed in addition to the disinterest from the major drug companies in investing their own funds in something that’s likely to not be extremely successful, which can mean that a foreign competitor gains an advantage.

U.S. technologies in India

In addition to the research funded by the government that is cited by Bok, two Washington University School of Medicine professors, David T. Curiel, a radiation oncologist as well as Michael S. Diamond, molecular microbiologist, created the nasal vaccine that was approved in India.

The vaccine, dubbed iNCOVACC in India, is based on an adenovirus which delivers Coronavirus’ spike protein.

Bharat Biotech has tested it as a main vaccination series as well as to boost the number of people who have been vaccinated by injectable Covid shots in India. The company claimed that the clinical trials showed “successful results” and that adverse effects were comparable to other Covid-19 vaccines. However, it hasn’t yet published the results in a peer-reviewed journal.

The Indian regulatory body for drugs has approved the two-dose vaccine that is available in nasal drops for adults who haven’t been previously treated with Covid-19, Bharat Biotech said. The company is authorized to market it in India as well as the remainder of Asia as well as Africa.

In addition, another group, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a global alliance that funds the development of vaccines to combat epidemic threats, is preparing plans for research into nasal vaccine projects.

“For example, we are looking into whether nasal vaccines could be an option for our all-in-one coronavirus vaccine program funding the development of vaccines against both Covid-19 variants and other coronaviruses,” said Melanie Saville, CEPI’s executive director of study and development.

There are 95 nasal vaccines in development across the globe as per health information company Airfinity. Six vaccines have passed the final Phase 3 clinical trial.

Setting expectations

However, some scientists are skeptical about the possibility that a nasal vaccine could transform the game.

William Haseltine, a former professor at Harvard Medical School with expertise in the field of HIV/AIDS and genomics believes that optimism is not the best way to gauge the possibility of nasal vaccines to help prevent infection, as an exposure to the virus does not keep people from becoming reinfected.

Curiel and Diamond have licensed their vaccine to be used in the U.S. to Pennsylvania-based biotech Oxygen.

The company is seeking both financial and regulatory support through authorities from U.S. government to develop the vaccine for use as booster