Two-Pronged COVID-19 Vaccine Development Approach Launches in India

An Ahmedabad based pharmaceutical company announced that it has initiated an accelerated research program with multiple teams developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

This vaccine research is based in India and Europe on innovative development approaches, said Zydus Cadila on February 15, 2020.

The 1st approach deals with the development of a DNA vaccine against the major viral membrane protein responsible for the cell entry of the COVID-19. 

The plasmid DNA would be introduced into the host cells, where it would be translated into the viral protein and elicit a strong immune response mediated by the cellular and humoral arms of the human immune system, which play a vital role in protection from disease as well as viral clearance.

The 2nd approach deals with the development of a live attenuated recombinant measles virus vectored vaccine against COVID-19. 

The recombinant measles virus (rMV) produced by reverse genetics would express codon-optimised proteins of the novel coronavirus and will induce long-term specific neutralizing antibodies, which will provide protection from the infection.

Speaking on the development, Chairman of the Zydus Group, Mr. Pankaj R. Patel said in a related press release, “There is an urgent and pressing need to develop a safe and efficacious vaccine that can prevent the spread of this deadly virus.”

“Our researchers are working to bring a speedy solution to this most devastating outbreak in recent times.”

Zydus group’s Vaccine Technology Centre in India which is working on the plasmid DNA vaccine also has wide-ranging capabilities in developing and manufacturing different vaccines for unmet needs.

The group was the first to develop an indigenously manufacture vaccine to combat Swine Flu during the outbreak in 2010.

The Zydus group’s research arm in Europe, Etna Biotech, is working on measles reverse genetics technology which has been used earlier to successfully develop the SARS-vaccine. 

The vaccines developed through this platform are safe, efficacious and large doses can be manufactured for which Zydus already has production facilities in place.

The company’s robust manufacturing facilities for producing recombinant antigens and measles-containing vaccines would enable rapid ramping up of the production for both vaccine candidates, once the proof-of-concept is established.

This is important news since the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved any preventive or therapeutic vaccines for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as of February 17, 2020. 

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, both of which have their origins in bats. The sequences from U.S. patients are similar to the one that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir.

Zydus Cadila is an innovative, global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies, including small molecule drugs, biologic therapeutics, and vaccines.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development published by Precision Vaccinations.