Single vaccine against three types of coronavirus sees success – Times of India

TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on - Oct 19, 2023, 13:00 IST

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A vaccine has been designed to protect against three deadly coronavirus strains and has been successful in mouse studies. The vaccine developed by researchers at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute demonstrates the viability of a pan-coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine offers protection against "SARS-CoV-1, another form of SARS coronavirus that can infect humans, and a MERS coronavirus that has led to periodic, deadly outbreaks around the world," the institute has said in an official statement.

The vaccine has been designed by Kevin O. Saunders, Ph.D., associate director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and his colleagues. The vaccine has used a nanoparticle loaded with receptor binding domain from each of the coronaviruses. This provides information to the body's immunity system to work against the coronaviruses when they infect the body.

This study demonstrates proof-of-concept that a single vaccine that protects against both MERS and SARS viruses is an achievable goal, Saunders said. Given that one MERS and two SARS viruses have infected humans in the last two decades, the development of universal coronavirus vaccines is a global health priority.

So far, the researchers have published the result of the vaccine trial on mouse. The findings have been published in the Cell journal. "Human tests are planned next year for a version that carries immunogens to different SARS-CoV-2 strains, including those that have dominated since the original outbreak in late 2019," the institute has siad. The researchers aim to include additional SARS-related virus and MERS virus to the components of the vaccine.

MERS or Middle East respiratory syndrome is a viral illness cause by a type of coronavirus. It was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The common symptoms of MERS are shortness of breath, diarrhea, fever and cough. Some patients also expeirence organ failure and septic shock due to MERS. Currently, no vaccine or specific treatment for MERS is currently available.

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Single vaccine against three types of coronavirus sees success - Times of India