Vaxart, Inc. is an American biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of oral recombinant vaccines administered using temperature-stable tablets that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration, eliminating the need for needle injection.

[4] The Vaxart technology is based on the potential to prevent or inhibit infectious diseases by using orally-delivered vaccines by tablets, eliminating intramuscular injection concerns which may involve pain, fear of needles, cross-contamination, dosing inconsistencies, and higher cost for large-scale immunizations.

[10][11][6][12] Vaxart uses a specific virus called adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) as a delivery biological "vector" to carry genes coding for the antigen to generate a protective immune response.

The funding is part of Project NextGen, a substantial $5 billion initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) focusing on the development of new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics that provide broader and more durable protection against COVID-19.

The oral vaccine platform developed by Vaxart is noted for its potential advantages, including generating mucosal immunity and offering a cross-reactive response to various COVID-19 variants.

Norovirus significantly impacts all age groups, particularly young children and the elderly, causing millions of cases annually with substantial healthcare and economic burdens.

In December 2022, Vaxart received significant funding and support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationfor a study focusing on breastfeeding mothers and their infants.

[22] In 2023, Vaxart initiated a Phase 1 trial (VXA-NVV-108) focused on lactating mothers, aiming to evaluate the vaccine's ability to induce breast milk antibodies and their transfer to infants.

Stockholder Litigation), alleging that company executives engaged in insider trading and violated their fiduciary duties by profiting from misleading vaccine-related statements.