right The Telegraph, quoted by hotnews.ro, a universal vaccine could work against all variants of coronavirus and would target the nucleus of the virus and not the “spike” protein.
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WHAT DOES THIS VACCINE MEAN?
British researchers at the University of Nottingham are working on a universal vaccine that, if effective, will put an end to the need to adjust existing COVID-19 vaccines against various mutations in the new coronavirus.
Existing vaccines such as Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca target the virus’s Spike protein, but their effectiveness may decrease as the virus mutates.
The new universal vaccines will also target proteins found in the nucleus of the virus that are less prone to mutations, which means they will have a longer longevity.
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, which has a seat in the SAGE (Emergency Scientific Advisory Group), is among the influential researchers who this week suggested the government turn to universal vaccines.
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Scancell Medical Director Dr. Gillies O’Bryan-Tear told The Telegraph: “We don’t necessarily claim that it will be a pan-coronavirus vaccine, but it has the potential to be simply because of the place it targets.”
A number of other biotechnology companies are working on similar vaccines, including myNEO in Belgium and Osivax in France. The latter has just completed a phase II clinical trial with a universal influenza vaccine targeting protein N.
Other US researchers have suggested that the use of a previously developed SARS vaccine or a vaccine targeting multiple coronaviruses could stimulate broader protection.
These products could protect not only against all variants of the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic virus, but also against other coronaviruses, such as Sars and Mers, and future coronaviruses.
However, Covid universal vaccines face significant obstacles. Experts note that scientists have been working unsuccessfully for decades on a universal flu vaccine, for example.
Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College, said: “It’s not science fiction, but it’s not trivial”. Scancell has received some funding from Innovate UK, but needs a major pharmaceutical partner to advance its new vaccine through clinical trials and new investments of several hundred million pounds.
“However, in view of this and the positive results of the phase I / II studies, its vaccine could be developed within one year. “ he said.
WHEN IT WILL BE DONE?
The vaccine could be available in a year.
“There’s no reason why, if we get a partner, we shouldn’t be able to do this as fast as others have.”, said Dr. O’Bryan-Tear, noting that the first coronavirus vaccines appeared less than a year after the pandemic began.
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