Candidate: Vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2
Type: Nanoparticle vaccine based on one component self-assembling protein nanoparticle (1c-SApNP) platform technology invented by Jiang Zhu, PhD. The vaccine consists of self-assembling virus-like particles made from identical proteins that are synthesized through the insertion of a single plasmid encoding the relevant gene into a CHO or C1 (DYAI) host cell, followed by one-step expression and two subsequent purifications.
The vaccine prototype features SARS-CoV-2 protein spikes protruding from a protein nanoparticle scaffold.
Status: Ufovax, a Scripps Research spinout company, said March 23 it successfully extended its vaccine platform technology to a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The platform previously delivered promising vaccine candidates to address global health challenges such as HIV, hepatitis C vaccine, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
“We hope to soon begin initial tests to see whether our vaccine can induce an immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in animal models and eventually in clinical trials,” Zhu stated.
COVID-19: 200 Candidates and Counting
To navigate through the >200 potential therapeutic and vaccine options for COVID-19, GEN has grouped the candidates into four broad categories based on their developmental and (where applicable) clinical progress:
● FRONT RUNNER – the most promising therapeutics/vaccines based on clinical progress, favorable data or both.
● DEFINITELY MAYBE – earlier phases with promising partners, or more advanced candidates in development that have generated uneven data
● KEEPING AN EYE ON… – interesting technology, attracting notable partners, or both, but preliminary data.
● TOO SOON TO TELL – longshots pending additional experimental and/or clinical data.
GEN has also tagged the most common treatment types:
● ANTIVIRAL
● VAX
● ANTIBODY
● RNA
