ButanVac

ButanVac (NDV-HXP-S) is an inactivated viral vector-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Butantan Institute in collaboration with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Texas at Austin. The vaccine utilizes a recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) as a vector, which has been genetically modified to express a stabilized version of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein known as HexaPro (HXP). HexaPro technology incorporates six proline substitutions to maintain the spike protein in its pre-fusion conformation, enhancing its immunogenicity. A key advantage of this platform is its ability to be produced in embryonated chicken eggs, leveraging existing global infrastructure for influenza vaccine manufacturing. While early clinical trials demonstrated safety and the induction of neutralizing antibodies, Phase 2/3 trials in Brazil as a booster dose showed inferior immunogenicity compared to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, leading the Butantan Institute to terminate its development in 2024.

Brand names

ButanVac

Other names

NDV-HXP-S-Butantan Institute-COVID-19ButanVac COVID-19 vaccine