Needle-free Covid vaccination trials taking place in Cambridge

Volunteer Chris Pittock gets a needle-free vaccination

Trials are taking place of a new needle-free Covid vaccine in Cambridge, where the technology was developed.

The vaccine, administered through a jet of air, was developed by Prof Jonathan Heeney of Cambridge University and chief executive of DIOSynVax.

Volunteers recruited last month are being vaccinated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in the city.

Safety trials have already been conducted at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility.

The vaccine - known as DIOS-CoVax - is envisaged as a booster targeting SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses that pose a threat of future pandemics.

Prof Jonathan Heeney developed the needle-free vaccine

"If you're someone who hates needles, our vaccine could be the answer as it's delivered by a jet of air, not a needle," Prof Heeney said.

He said the current trial was a "crucial stage of development towards what we hope will eventually become a universal coronavirus vaccine".

The Cambridge trial is expected to last for about a year.