Vaccination for life
Japanese scientists are developing a lifetime vaccine against COVID-19
The Japanese pharmaceutical company Nobelpharma may begin clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine in 2023, which could give lifelong immunity to the causative agent COVID-19, the Japan Times writes.
A group of scientists from the Tokyo Institute of Medical Sciences, led by Professor Mitinori Kohara, is working on the drug. As a basis, they took the smallpox vaccine, developed in the XVIII century in the UK and used in Japan until 1976. The idea of the researchers is to introduce the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into the recombinant smallpox vaccine virus.
In experiments on mice, they used a gene for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The results showed that at the end of 20 months, vaccinated individuals had a high level of antibodies, they were also able to survive after the introduction of the virus. At the same time, all unvaccinated mice died. The article notes that 20 months is the approximate average life expectancy of rodents.
"The characteristics of this vaccine have shown that it can promote the production of antibodies and give lifelong immunity. One dose retains the effect for more than 20 months, no other vaccine has a similar effect," Kohara said in an interview with the newspaper.
In addition, the prototype of the coronavirus vaccine tested on crab-eating macaques protected primates from the development of pneumonia, and the concentration of the virus in their lungs was lower than the indicator that is detected even seven days after infection.
Now, approximately in 2023, Nobelpharma Co intends to conduct the first and second phases of clinical trials of the development with the participation of 150 to 200 volunteers, including those who have been ill and fully vaccinated with other drugs. The third one will require additional investments.
According to Professor Kohara, in addition to a long—term immune response, another great advantage of the new vaccine is that it can be stored dry for a long time at room temperature.
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