- Upperton Pharma Solutions has been awarded funding under the first VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call to develop oral formulations for Adenovirus-vectored vaccines.
- The joint project with the University of Oxford aims to complete in summer 2026.
Upperton Pharma Solutions, a UK-based CDMO, has secured a grant to collaborate with the University of Oxford on the development of oral formulations for Adenovirus-vectored vaccines. The funding comes from the VaxHub Sustainable Platform Funding Call, launched in January 2025.
The project is led by Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert at the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute. It seeks to address the limitations of intramuscular vaccine delivery by investigating oral administration routes. The approach aims to induce mucosal immunity, improve vaccine stability, simplify distribution, and enable self-administration.
Upperton will contribute its expertise in oral dosage form development, particle engineering, and spray drying to support the vaccine formulation. 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 collaboration is expected to conclude in summer 2026. VaxHub Sustainable is funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and co-directed by University College London and the University of Oxford.
Based in Nottingham, Upperton offers integrated CDMO and contract manufacturing services, covering formulation development, clinical trial manufacturing, and commercial supply across oral, inhalation, semi-solid, liquid, and sterile products.
