Upperton Pharma Solutions has secured funding from the first VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call to support the development of an oral formulation for Adenovirus-vectored vaccines. The Nottingham-based CDMO is collaborating with the University of Oxford on the initiative.
The project is led by Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert at Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute. It aims to overcome limitations of intramuscular vaccine delivery by exploring oral routes that could improve stability, enable self-administration and induce mucosal immunity.
Upperton will contribute its expertise in oral dosage form development, particle engineering and spray drying to support formulation work. The goal is to enable needle-free delivery of Adenovirus-vectored vaccines, increasing public acceptability and uptake.
Richard Johnson, Chief Scientific Officer at Upperton, said: “We’re proud to partner with the University of Oxford on this initiative: Oral vaccine delivery has the potential to transform global immunisation and pandemic response strategies, and this project is a significant step forward where we can apply our formulation development expertise.”
The VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call was launched in January 2025 to support innovation in sustainable vaccine development. The joint project is expected to complete in summer 2026.
Upperton Pharma Solutions provides integrated CDMO services from pre-clinical development through to market supply. Its 60,000 sq. ft facility in Nottingham supports manufacturing across oral solids, liquids, semi-solids, inhalation and sterile products.
VaxHub Sustainable is funded by the UK’s EPSRC and co-led by Prof Martina Micheletti (UCL) and Prof Dame Sarah Gilbert (Oxford). The initiative aims to position the UK as a global leader in sustainable vaccine manufacturing.
Funding from the EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub for a Sustainable Future (Grant Reference: EP/X038181/1) is gratefully acknowledged.
