Research is still continuing on universal coronavirus vaccines. Updating Coronavirus Vaccines Is Good, But a Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Would Be Better https://reason.com/2022/07/01/updat...niversal-coronavirus-vaccine-would-be-better/ Coronavirus vaccines should be updated to address omicron BA.4/5 coronavirus variants that are rapidly becoming the dominant strains around the world, including in the U.S. This was the conclusion reached by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) panel of independent experts on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. The modified vaccines would add an omicron BA.4/5 spike protein component to the current vaccine composition to create a two-component (bivalent) booster vaccine that would be available around October. Instead of requiring manufacturers to engage in long and drawn-out clinical trials before approving the booster shots, the FDA is taking advantage of the drugmakers' ability to rapidly modify the new mRNA vaccines as the virus evolves. This approval process is similar to the way through which annual flu shots are updated. Even better than updated vaccines would be a universal coronavirus vaccine. There are already several projects aiming to achieve that goal. During a recent investor presentation, the Pfizer/BioNTech collaboration suggested that it planned to begin testing a pan-coronavirus vaccine later this year. Considering the havoc wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic and the possibility that it could evolve further in deleterious ways, another Operation Warp Speed aimed at speeding the development and deployment of a pan-coronavirus vaccine would be useful.
Spectacular success of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines just a glimpse of their full potential https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-spectacular-success-mrna-covid-vaccines.html The "spectacular" success of mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine technology against SARS-CoV-2 provides "just a glimpse of their full potential", according to the authors of a Perspective published by the Medical Journal of Australia today. Ms Isabella Overmars, a research coordinator at Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and colleagues wrote that the technology worked by delivering an mRNA that contains a code for a specific antigen into a host cell, where it is translated into the coded protein. "This typically leads to the host cell displaying the protein on its surface to promote cell-mediated immunity, and the host cell releases proteins outside of the cell which are taken up and presented by other antigen-presenting cells to promote antibody-mediated immunity," they wrote. The advantages of mRNA include low toxicity, the obviation of risk of integration into the host genome, and they are non-infectious, which means "there is no possibility for an infection to occur from the vaccine itself". "mRNA vaccines do not rely on non or mildly pathogenic viral vectors as a delivery method, which in some cases can cause issues of immune-based clotting disorders, such as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), and antivector immunity," Overmars and colleagues wrote. "The manufacturing process also has several benefits, including in vitro development and use of synthetic materials, which improves manufacturing consistency. Moreover, mRNA vaccines can be rapidly synthesised after the required sequence is known, and modifications can be expedited, which is advantageous in responding to emerging immune-evasive variants." The limitations of mRNA technology include degradation by cellular processes, meaning it can be easily destroyed; it is thermodynamically unstable, and needs to be kept at cold temperatures for storage and transport; and, safety concerns have emerged with mild-to-moderate myocarditis and pericarditis rarely following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination, mainly in young male adults. "mRNA vaccine development will continue to accelerate, spurred on by the success of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and further improvements to the technology may mitigate some of the current limitations and facilitate broader reach," wrote Overmars and colleagues. "For example, strategies to make the mRNA vaccines self-amplify, meaning the mRNA delivered in the vaccine encodes not only the antigen of interest but also the replication machinery that amplifies the mRNA, will reduce the amount of mRNA needed in each vaccine. Moderna is already in phase 1 with a seasonal influenza quadrivalent product, and is developing other combination vaccines, including one for human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza virus. "Existing challenges need to be addressed to ensure equitable access and expansion," they concluded. "To do this, manufacturing facilities with advanced mRNA technology may be required in multiple locations globally. "Testing of different additives, adjuvants and delivery mechanisms will be important to increase the stability of mRNA vaccines at higher temperatures and to therefore facilitate equitable access. "mRNA technology has progressed rapidly over the past 2 years in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, revealing new and exciting avenues for prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine development."
Another universal coronavirus vaccine readies for human trials https://newatlas.com/science/universal-coronavirus-vaccine-mosaic-nanoparticle-human-trials-caltech/ As scientists frantically chase a rapidly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus by trying to update current COVID vaccines to better target circulating variants, a huge project is bubbling away in the background. The goal is to create a universal coronavirus vaccine designed to generate such broad immunity it will protect people from all currently circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2, as well as any future variants yet to emerge. And there are several compelling candidates in the pipeline. A new study published in the journal Science is reporting promising results from preclinical studies led by researchers at Caltech. The vaccine utilizes a novel mosaic nanoparticle technology to protect not only against SARS-CoV-2 but also the original SARS, and several common cold coronaviruses. The experimental vaccine focuses on a particular genera of coronaviruses called betacoronaviruses. These are the most clinically relevant types of coronaviruses to humans, including SARS, MERS, SARS-CoV-2, and two coronaviruses linked to the common cold - OC43 and HKU1. Pamela Bjorkman, a Caltech researcher leading the project, said generating broad immunity against the entire group of betacoronviruses should offer protection from new viruses that could emerge in the future. And considering we’ve had three dangerous viruses emerge from the betacoronavirus family over the past 20 years, it is crucial to get ahead of what could be the next pandemic. “What we're trying to do is make an all-in-one vaccine protective against SARS-like betacoronaviruses regardless of which animal viruses might evolve to allow human infection and spread,” said Bjorkman. “This sort of vaccine would also protect against current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants without the need for updating." The Caltech vaccine uses nanoparticle scaffolds to attach a number of different betacoronavirus fragments. Eight different betacoronaviruses are targeted by the vaccine: SARS-CoV-2, and seven other betacoronaviruses currently only circulating in animals but all holding the potential for mutating into a form that could infect humans in the future. The vaccine does not focus on the traditional coronavirus spike protein, but instead uses viral fragments called receptor-binding domains (RBDs). These are parts of the virus that act as a kind of interface between the spike protein and ACE2 receptors in human cells. RBDs are like the anchor that links the virus up with the human receptor. This infographic illustrates the new vaccine, composed of RBDs from eight different viruses. The table shows the broad spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 variants and related coronaviruses that the vaccine induces protection against Wellcome Leap, Caltech, and Merkin Institute And recent animal studies testing this novel vaccine, dubbed Mosaic-8, have delivered impressive results. Across a number of mouse and primate trials, the researchers found the vaccine successfully protects against most betacoronavirus strains. Interestingly, the researchers tested the Mosaic-8 design against a nanoparticle solely loaded with a SARS-CoV-2 RBD. When mice were exposed to the original SARS virus, only the animals given the Mosaic-8 vaccine survived. This suggests the combination of eight different antigens does potentially generate broad cross-protective immunity against different types of betacoronaviruses. "Animals vaccinated with the mosaic-8 nanoparticles elicited antibodies that recognized virtually every SARS-like betacoronavirus strain we evaluated," noted study co-author Alexander Cohen. "Some of these viruses could be related to the strain that causes the next SARS-like betacoronavirus outbreak, so what we really want would be something that targets this entire group of viruses. We believe we have that." Thanks to a big injection of funding from The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Mosaic-8 is on track to move to Phase 1 human trials very soon. Because it is 2022 and most people in the world have either already received a COVID-19 vaccine or been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the researchers are first conducting animal studies testing the novel vaccine in previously exposed animals. “There have already been three serious coronavirus epidemics or pandemics in the twenty-first century – and COVID-19 continues to have a devastating impact on the world’s health, society, and economy,” noted Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI. “The creation of vaccines that could provide broad protection against emerging COVID-19 variants and future coronavirus threats would not only help mitigate the damaging effects of another COVID-19-like pandemic, it could also help reduce the time taken and funding spent continually updating vaccine formulations.” Mosaic-8 is certainly not the only universal coronavirus vaccine currently in development. There are no less than 10 different research groups working with different strategies to produce a coronavirus vaccine that protects from current and future variants. The US Army, for example, earlier this year reported successful preclinical results testing a unique ferritin nanoparticle with the capacity of holding 24 different coronavirus antigens. This research has already commenced the first phase of human trials and results are expected soon. The new study was published in the journal Science. Source: Caltech
Major Israeli study: COVID death rate among elderly slashed by 72% after 4th vaccine Israel raced to give extra boosters before most countries in December; research also shows shots cut hospitalization by over 60%; says study author: ‘They’re lifesavers’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/major...-covid-death-slashed-by-72-after-4th-vaccine/