Modified COVID-19 booster focused on the virus's receptor-binding domain
Official title: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on RBDs with engineered glycosylation sites
Funded at Emmune, INC · NIH-11141131 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Testing a new COVID-19 booster that uses a modified piece of the virus's spike protein to steer immune protection toward parts that neutralize variants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emmune, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Juno Beach, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,000,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI170392-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141131 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Likely candidates would be adults eligible for COVID-19 booster vaccination, including people previously vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 who want broader variant protection.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot receive or tolerate mRNA vaccines, those with specific contraindications to lipid nanoparticle formulations, or anyone needing immediate treatment for an active COVID-19 infection may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project is making vaccine pieces from the virus's receptor-binding domain (RBD) and adding sugar tags so they behave better and guide antibody responses to protective sites. The RBD pieces will be delivered as mRNA inside lipid nanoparticles similar to current mRNA vaccines. Early work improves expression and stability of these RBD antigens, and later phases compare RBD-only boosters to full spike boosters and optimize designs that focus antibodies on sites conserved across variants. The goal is to find booster designs that produce stronger, more targeted neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce boosters that give broader and more focused protection against current and future COVID-19 variants.
How similar studies have gone: mRNA vaccines using the full spike protein have been highly effective, and RBD-focused vaccines have shown promising preclinical results, but engineering glycosylation to redirect antibodies is a newer approach with limited human data.
Where this research is happening
-
Emmune, INC
Juno Beach, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alpert, Michael David — Emmune, INC
- Study coordinator: Alpert, Michael David
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.