Moderna, the biotech company behind one of two mRNA-based vaccines currently being distributed globally for the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that it will create new mRNA vaccines for three viruses. The potential vaccines include HIV, seasonal influenza, and Nipah virus. Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine development and clinical testing is among the fastest in vaccine history, and the results so far have been very promising.
An mRNA vaccine is different from typical, classical vaccines. What this vaccine does is provide instructions on how to make specific proteins that will trigger the body’s natural defenses. The mRNA instructions, which are temporary and do not affect a person’s actual DNA , simply tell the body’s cells to make proteins that mirror those used by a virus to attach to and infect cells. The unmodified proteins are then fought off by a person, which provides a lasting lesson in how to fight any future proteins that fit that profile, including those that help viruses attach to and infect people.
Moderna's new programs are targeting not only seasonal flu, but also a combination vaccine that could target both regular flu and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The HIV vaccine candidate, developed in partnership with the AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is expected to enter early-stage clinical trials later this year. Nipah virus is a highly lethal disease that can cause respiratory and neurological symptoms and is a particular threat in India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.
Indeed, mRNA-based vaccines provide greater flexibility since they do not use active or inactive virus, reducing the risks of causing direct infections. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered significant investments in all technological sectors , and one of them is vaccines using the new mRNA technology.
Information source: techcrunch.com
