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Although the first easing of measures against its spread was applied in the fight against the coronavirus, but at the same time an obligation to protect the mouth should soon be applied in Germany, it is still clear: the real relief in the crisis of the crown will only bring a vaccine. In Germany, a company can now test a potentially revolutionary vaccine.
MRNA vaccines reprogram cells
There is now almost consensus that rampant coronavirus can only be stopped in the long term by developing a vaccine. Therefore, it is not surprising that high-pressure research is underway into possible vaccines against the virus. In Germany, two biotech companies are behind these efforts: CureVac from Tübingen and Biontech from Mainz. The latter company recently received approval for clinical trials from the Paul Ehrlich Institute. Both CureVac and Biontech use so-called mRNA-based vaccines for their vaccines, a revolutionary technology that could usher in a new era in vaccine development.
So-called messenger RNA, or mRNA for short, is of central importance to mRNA vaccines. It is a molecule that is produced in each cell and within these cells it transmits genetic messages from the cell nucleus to the areas where proteins are produced. Therefore, mRNA is largely responsible for the proteins that a cell produces.
In theory, cells can produce virtually any protein. Therefore, the researchers came up with the idea that this should also apply to components of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. 30 years ago this was shown to work. The mRNA only needs to be programmed accordingly and the body can make virus components on its own. With classical vaccines, weakened or dead pathogens are introduced into the body in many cases to train the immune system in the pathogen. In the case of mRNA vaccines, the body itself would take on this task.
Innovative technology with advantages.
With an mRNA vaccine, cells could theoretically be made to replicate parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Specifically, the German vaccines deal with the spike protein in the outer layer of the virus cells. In this way, the immune system could learn to form antibodies against this spike protein and, therefore, also against SARS-CoV-2. If the body were really exposed to the virus, a rapid immune response would be possible.
MRNA vaccines have many advantages, including the fact that they are relatively easy to produce. “ You can make mRNA very quickly. And we only need small amounts in the microgram range. That means a few kilograms of the active ingredient in mRNA may be enough to vaccinate millions of people.“Ugur Sahin, head of Biontech, told the Helmholtz Association. Therefore, mRNA vaccines are also ideal for quickly reacting to emerging pandemics.
There is also hope that the health risks of mRNA vaccines will be less than those of traditional vaccines. The new types of vaccines do not contain enhancing substances that can cause side effects.
Vaccine not before 2021
But even if promising approaches to vaccination already exist, uncertainties persist. It is still unclear to what extent the presence of antibodies in the body protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection; There is simply no data to evaluate this question. Furthermore, mRNA technology is very new. So new that there is still no approved mRNA vaccine.
And while there may be a willingness to simplify approval procedures for the coronavirus pandemic, developing such a vaccine will take time. Biontech will test a total of four vaccines in 200 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 in cooperation with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer from the end of April. In the later phase, 500 Covid 19 relatives at risk of influenza will be vaccinated. The first dates are expected in June. CureVac wants to start testing in early summer. Depending on the course of the first tests, the first phase 2 studies from both manufacturers could start in the fall. The situation is different in the United States: Moderna began clinical trials of an mRNA vaccine in mid-March. However, an approved vaccine is not yet expected before the middle of next year. “ For us it is important that the vaccine must be effective and well tolerated, that is the main objective“Klaus Cichutek, president of the Paul Ehrlich Institute said.
