The goal is a universal vaccine
Scientists are trying to create one vaccine against many coronaviruses to prevent the next pandemic
"Kayvon Mojarrad is determined to win the war against this pandemic – and the next one. Dr. Mojarrad, a researcher of emerging infectious diseases in the U.S. Army, is seeking to develop a vaccine to protect against a number of coronaviruses that cause illness in humans, including Covid-19 variants that may elude modern vaccines. The goal is to prevent the next new virus from spreading around the world. Such a vaccine can even stop coronaviruses that cause colds," writes The Wall Street Journal.
"His research group consists of about 20 groups around the world working on so–called universal, or pancoronavirus, vaccines: vaccines that block many related viruses at once, including those that have not infected anyone yet. (...)," the article says.
"In the last 18 years, three new deadly coronaviruses have emerged, including the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, and scientists warn that another one is likely to appear. Many animals, including bats and rabbits, carry coronaviruses that can be transmitted to humans. According to scientists, millions of people around the world are exposed to the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 virus, which increases the risk of new, vaccine–resistant variants," the newspaper notes, at the same time pointing out that "(...) scientists have spent years trying to develop a universal flu vaccine, but so far without success," but "coronaviruses that mutate less often (...) may be an easier target" (...).
"The Coalition for Innovation in Epidemic Preparedness, an Oslo-based organization that funds the development of vaccines against epidemic diseases, is investing $200 million in grants for early-stage development of vaccines that generally protect against dangerous coronaviruses. The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whose scientists are studying ways to create vaccines against coronaviruses, allocates another $ 95 million to other researchers, including $36 million to teams from Duke University, the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Brigham and the Women's Hospital in Boston, the article reports. "Several companies are developing polyvalent vaccines against Covid–19 that will target SARS-CoV-2 variants (...)."
"The vaccines that are currently being developed will not protect against all coronaviruses. Viruses are very different from each other, so creating one vaccine that targets everyone is a difficult task. Most researchers focus primarily on vaccines against sarbecoviruses, the group of greatest concern because it includes pathogens that cause Covid-19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. If they can successfully create a vaccine against sarbecovirus, then the next step will be to create vaccines that block beta-coronaviruses, including sarbecoviruses and the virus that causes MERS, which was first discovered in 2012 and has a mortality rate of about 35%. The group also includes two viruses that cause colds," the article says.
(...) "According to Dennis Burton, an immunologist at the Scripps Institution, recent studies of antibodies in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are helping to accelerate the development of a vaccine. He and other researchers have identified "broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies" that protect against both the virus that caused the current pandemic and its close relatives. He notes that vaccines can then be developed that generate these antibodies when administered to patients."
"To create a universal vaccine, researchers are looking for parts of viral pathogens that are identical or preserved in related viruses. Many focus on the spike protein of coronaviruses, which protrudes on the surface of the virus and allows it to attach to human cells and infect them. Dr. Mojarrad and his colleagues recently tested an experimental vaccine consisting of copies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein attached to a soccer-ball-shaped nanoparticle made from ferritin, a blood protein that stores iron. The vaccine protected the macaques from the initial pandemic virus, the researchers reported. The blood serum of vaccinated macaques reflected all the main variants of SARS, Mojarrad pointed out. Currently, researchers are analyzing data from an early clinical trial of the vaccine in humans, Mojarrad said, and are testing a similar vaccine in mice designed to protect against a larger number of beta-coronaviruses, including the virus that causes MERS," writes WSJ.
"David Martinez, a researcher at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (...) BioNTech and his colleagues used mRNA, as did Moderna Inc., Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE with their Covid-19 vaccines. Instead of the genetic material of one coronavirus, they put together genetic codes from pieces of spike proteins of four SARS-like viruses: SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and two bat viruses. (...) When the experimental vaccine was tested on mice, it protected them from variants of Covid-19, bat coronaviruses and other viruses. The research team is seeking funding for early human clinical trials and is developing a vaccine against MERS and related beta-coronaviruses," the article reports.
"At the University of Washington, Dr. David Wisler and his colleagues have created a vaccine against Covid-19 from virus-like nanoparticles dotted with copies of the part of the viral spike protein that binds to the receptor on human cells. This vaccine is currently in late-stage clinical trials. After identifying several broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies against viruses like SARS, the researchers began developing a "version 2.0" of their vaccine. They attached copies of pieces of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and three similar viruses to the nanoparticles: the one that causes SARS, and two bat coronaviruses. When tested on mice, the vaccine has shown that it can provide broad protection against viruses like SARS. The team is now finalizing the vaccine and planning further trials," writes WSJ. (...)
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru