On 10 October, Vall d'Hebron hosted the third annual meeting of the RBDCOV project ("RBD Dimer recombinant protein vaccine against SARS-CoV-2"). The aim of this initiative, in which the Infection and Immunity in Paediatric Patients group of Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) participates, is to test the efficacy, tolerability and safety of HIPRA's COVID-19 vaccine (BIMERVAX®) in children and adolescents, and also in immunocompromised individuals. The project is part of the Horizon Europe programme.

The meeting was the opportunity to establish the next steps in the research of the HIPRA vaccine. In parallel, the provisional results of the study in immunocompromised adults were presented, confirming the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in this population, as well as the durability of protection even against the viral variants currently circulating in the majority of cases. Regarding the study in paediatric and adolescent patients, recruitment data were presented, showing a progressive increase in the number of participants in the five participating centres.

"It is especially important to have efficacy and safety data on BIMERVAX® in the paediatric and adolescent population, so all those involved in this study are making an effort to increase the recruitment of participants in order to reach the 300 individuals needed to evaluate the results", says Dr. Pere Soler Palacín, head of the Infectious Pathology and Immunodeficiency Unit of Paediatrics at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and of the Infection and Immunity in Paediatric Patients group at VHIR.

RBDCOV Project

RBDCOV is one of the projects committed to testing and advancing the new vaccine against COVID-19. To this end, companies and institutions from five European countries are joining forces to make collaborative progress. The project is led by the biotech pharmaceutical company HIPRA and involves the participation of centres in Spain (Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Irsicaixa, Fundación Lucha contra el SIDA (FLS), IDIBAPS, IDIBGI, ASPHALION, Vinces Consulting, Zabala Innovation), United Kingdom (Veristat International), Italy (Fondazione Penta), Germany (European AIDS Treatment Group), and Turkey (Metpharm Arastirma Gelistirme Saglik Danismanlik). Specifically, Vall d'Hebron is leading the study in children and adolescents.

The recruitment is currently open for adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age who wish to participate in the clinical trial. Parents or tutors of minors interested in participating can contact the people in charge of the study by email or telephone:

• +34 667 93 56 77 / 934 89 31 00 (Extension 3271) 
• miriam.gonzalezamores@vallhebron.cat
• stephany.zelada@vhir.org