CK-Exogene, a Korean biotech company, Tuesday said it will develop an exosome-based nasal spray vaccine against Covid-19 in cooperation with local pharmaceutical company Firson with a goal of marketing as early as the second half of next year.

Firson produces skin disinfectant Povidone and other pharmaceuticals and has a track record of manufacturing nasal spray products.

The exosome-based nasal spray Covid-19 vaccine will be developed in the form of spraying three times in total, once every two weeks, said CK-Exogene CEO Kim Jae-young, adding he hopes for regulatory support in rapid review of clinical trial data to bring the product to the market after the first half of next year.

Since the vaccine acts directly on the nasal mucosa, the effect of preventing infection will be significantly higher than that of existing Covid-19 jabs, he explained. If approved, wearing a mask will no longer be required, Kim said.

Exosomes are nano-sized biovesicles released into surrounding body fluids and the role of exosomes is being explored as delivery vehicles of a variety of medicines.

CK-Exogene has obtained a patent for mass production of exosomes and new material loading technology, and this allows for commercialization of exosome-based novel therapies. CK-Exogene is the only company in the world that develops an exosome-based nasal spray vaccine, according to Kim who is a physician turned businessman.

He served as a clinical lecturer on pain clinic at Keio University Hospital, and currently serves as adjunct professor at Ajou University Medical School and head of SHIN WOO/MEDISTEM Stem Cell Clinic.

He founded CK-Exogene in 2019 to develop exosome-based arthritis treatments and biopharmaceuticals.

By Yoo Joo-yeon and Minu Kim

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