The Jenner Institute, Oxford University, UK and Advent Srl ? an IRBM company, Pomezia,Italy ? are continuing their long-standing history of collaboration, by announcing today a new agreement to develop a novel vaccine for coronavirus. The Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford has agreed a contract with Advent Srl (https://www.advent-gmp.com/) to produce the first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 for clinical testing. The vaccine ?seed stock? is currently being produced at the University?s Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility (https://www.cbf.ox.ac.uk/home). This will be transferred to Advent who will initially produce 1000 doses for the first clinical trials of this vaccine. The Jenner Institute has been working on a vaccine against another coronavirus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which has been shown to induce strong immune responses against MERS after a single dose of the vaccine in the first clinical trial which took place in Oxford. A second clinical trial of the MERS vaccine is underway in Saudi Arabia, which is where most MERS cases have occurred. The same approach to making the vaccine is being taken for the novel coronavirus vaccine. Advent are devising a fast development program incorporating the production process and testing strategy to produce vaccine for clinical testing as rapidly as possible. The vaccines are produced using a safe version of an adenovirus; another virus that can cause a common cold-like illness. The adenovirus has been modified so that it cannot reproduce within the body, and the genetic code to provide instructions for making the coronavirus Spike protein has been added, enabling the adenovirus to produce this protein after vaccination. That results in the formation of antibodies to the Spike protein, which is found on the surface of coronaviruses. In someone who has been vaccinated, antibodies to the Spike can bind to the coronavirus and stop it from causing an infection. Professor Sarah Gilbert of the Jenner Institute said: ?Novel pathogens such as nCoV-19 require rapid vaccine development. By using technology that is known to work well for another coronavirus vaccine we are able to reduce the time taken to prepare for clinical trials. Advent are working with us to move as rapidly as possible.? Dr Piero Di Lorenzo, President and CEO of Advent and IRBM said: ? We are thrilled to be working with the Jenner Institute on this critical project that has great significance for the international community due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus.Once again the IRBM group is at the forefront of? R&D? The Jenner Institute The Jenner Institute was founded in November 2005 to develop innovative vaccines against major global diseases. Uniquely it focuses both on diseases of humans and livestock and tests new vaccine approaches in parallel in different species. A major theme is translational research involving the rapid early-stage development and assessment of new vaccines in clinical trials. The Institute comprises the research activities of over 30 Jenner Investigators who head leading research groups spanning human and veterinary vaccine research and development. Together the Institute Investigators comprise one of the largest non-profit sector research and development activities in vaccinology. The Institute is a partnership between the University of Oxford and The Pirbright Institute and is the successor to the former Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research. The Institute is supported by the Jenner Vaccine Foundation, a UK registered charity and advised by the Jenner Institute Scientific Advisory Board. Advent Srl Advent, part of the IRBM Group, is a GMP-certified Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization, ADVENT, located in Pomezia (Rome) within the IRBM campus and dedicated to the development and production of clinical lots of recombinant adenoviruses to support clinical trials for vaccine and gene therapy applications. Over the years, the Advent team has built an outstanding track record in the successful production of clinical lots for many infectious diseases, including ebola and is committed to the highest GMP quality standard. The IRBM Group is also composed of IRBM SpA and the public private Consortium CNCCS (composed of CNR ? Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ? ISS ? Istituto Superiore di Sanit? e IRBM SpA). Notes to the Editor For further information, images and interview opportunities, please contact: For the Jenner Institute Chris McIntyre Media Relations Manager University of Oxford Tel: +44 (0)1865 270 046 Email:?christopher.mcintyre@admin.ox.ac.uk For Advent and IRBM Group Tel: +39 (0)691093769 Email:?Mediarelations@IRBM.com