generalspeaking

Fast-Tracking a Potential Coronavirus Vaccine

"There's no pre-existing information. It's related to SARS and SARS-like viruses that have been found in bats, but, on its own, it's something unique and new."
"You don't need the virus to make a vaccine for that virus. But to actually test if the vaccine works at some point, you need the virus to challenge and show protection."
"We have a plan, we have reagents that are being made [to build the vaccine. Once a prototype is developed, the team will tests its efficacy in an animal model] to see whether or not it's immunogenic."
"That sounds like a long time [up to a year prepared for clinical trials, bu the process has been] accelerated. Most vaccines are taking almost ten years from discovery, to clinical trials, to approval." 
"It could be two years before the vaccine is ready to be distributed. There's no point in having a vaccine if it's not safe."
Dr.Darryl Falzarano, research scientist, International Vaccine Centre, University of Saskatchewan

"[The coronavirus that caused the SARS outbreak and the 2019-nCoV] are probably between 75 percent and 80 percent similar at a general level ... and are part of the same subgroup of coronaviruses. [They are somewhat similar in the sense that both viruses are] transmitted by the respiratory route [and attach to the same host cell receptors]. However, that's not enough to say that they are the same virus."
"[It's] possible [that the coronavirus outbreak could be contained before the vaccine is deemed ready]. At this stage, it appears that it could be less severe than MERS."
"SARS was very difficult, it [relied] on a lot of observational stuff. And people were doing all kinds of different things -- steroids, interferon -- and things could have gotten better or worse regardless of what we did because there was no clear trial or study."
"If it does get contained initially, the vaccine could be applied should the virus re-merge. It's highly unlikely, but we should learn to never say never."
Dr.Samira Mubareka, infectious disease consultant, Sunnybrook Hospital,Toronto

Medical staff members carry a patient into the Jinyintan hospital, where patients infected by a mysterious SARS-like virus are being treated, in Wuhan in China’s central Hubei province on January 18, 2020. STR / AFP via Getty Images

The coronavirus from Wuhan, central China, marches on, infecting more people daily -- over ten thousand confirmed in China alone, killing a few more every day, 258 at last count, all in China, though it has travelled  to 20 countries. The World Health Organization has now upgraded its alert on the coronavirus declaring it a public health emergency of international concern, while praising China for its efforts thus far in isolating and confronting it.

However, before Wuhan, where the virus was first detected, was placed in lockdown, an estimated five million people had already exited the city of 11 million on the annual New Year's trek to visit with family.

Chinese scientists had sequenced the genome of the novel cornavirus in short order, then released their data publicly two weeks ago enabling research teams around the globe to begin efforts in researching a vaccine. Scientists in Australia had announced this week that they were successful in recreating the virus in the laboratory, and were prepared to share samples with other researchers to aid in testing vaccines.

Shanghai, China, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

Once a vaccine is discovered it faces rounds of animal testing that could take an additional three months, according to virologist Dr.Falzarano. After which the production of the vaccine would follow to ensure the product is acceptable and safe for clinical use, all of which is difficult to predict time-wise. The general consensus among experts is that it could take up to a year, and another year added on that before distribution can proceed.

"It involves getting a commercial partner to produce the vaccine, getting the vaccine conditionally approved in the countries you want to use it. A lot of these things are out of our hands and up to the regulatory authorities", explained Dr. Falzarano of the mass-producing and distribution of a vaccine to regions requiring its use.

Dr. Falzarano concurs with Dr.Mubareka's contention; the possibility is that the outbreak might be contained before a vaccine is ready for use. "But we don't know that ... Of course we should hope that public health measures and quarantine are able to contain that on its own. But that shouldn't mean we should sit around and see what happens...."

Labels: China, Coronavirus, Research, Vaccine

posted by Pieface @ Saturday, February 01, 2020