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Researchers use suction method to deliver SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine in lab tests

Rutgers researchers studying COVID-19 have created a new way to deliver DNA molecules into skin cells, using a suction technique similar to the ancient healing practice of cupping.

6 Nov 2021

Cas13 shines a light on SARS-CoV-2 variants

Now, a new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server describes and benchmarks SHINEv2, a Cas13-based nucleic acid diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 detection. SHINEv2 combines temperature sample processing and lyophilized reagents to simplify the test procedure and assay distribution immensely.

4 Nov 2021

Needle-free COVID-19 vaccine could soon be possible

A needle-free COVID-19 vaccination could be possible, with University of Queensland scientists successfully protecting mice from the virus by administering a US-developed vaccine candidate with a 'patch'.

30 Oct 2021

Innovative method greatly simplifies the complexity of delivering vaccines

Future vaccine delivery may rely on everyday items like BBQ lighters and microneedles, thanks to the ingenuity of a team of Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University researchers.

21 Oct 2021

Mutation of cysteine residues in NRP1 reduces SARS-CoV-2 spike protein entry into cells

Researchers have been investigating altered protein conformations in variants of concern to provide further insight for future therapies against COVID-19.

14 Oct 2021

Plasmid DNA vaccines induce effective antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 in mice

Researchers in the United States and China have developed plasmid DNA immunogens that induce effective antibody responses in mice against the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

5 Oct 2021

COVID Moonshot receives key funding to accelerate drug discovery efforts

The COVID Moonshot, a non-profit, open-science consortium of scientists from around the world dedicated to the discovery of globally affordable and easily-manufactured antiviral drugs against COVID-19 and future viral pandemics has received key funding of £8 million from Wellcome, on behalf of the Covid-19 Therapeutics Accelerator.

28 Sep 2021

Global leaders underline their commitment to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines

Global leaders attending the Global COVID-19 Summit hosted by the United States have again underlined their commitment to ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries through COVAX – noting that equitable access is essential to end the acute stage of the pandemic.

27 Sep 2021

Hepatitis B in newborns is a public health issue in the Pacific islands

The Pacific island nations are falling back on immunization targets, especially those for diseases spread through mother-to-child transmission, according to WHO officials.

24 Sep 2021

A 100% French nasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 to move into the clinical phase in 2022

In contrast to intramuscular vaccines, only nasal vaccines are able to block the virus in the nose by inducing local immunity in the nasal mucosa, i.e. the portal of entry and multiplication of the virus.

18 Sep 2021

Health leaders issue an urgent call for vaccine equity globally and in Africa

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and a group of global health leaders today issued an urgent call for vaccine equity globally and in Africa in particular.

14 Sep 2021

New statement on COVAX global supply forecast for 2021 and early 2022

Twelve months ago, the world came together to support COVAX, a multilateral initiative aimed at guaranteeing global access to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines.

10 Sep 2021

New vaccinia-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate induces robust, durable immune responses

Researchers in Australia have developed a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-9) vaccine that induced robust and long-lived humoral and cellular immune responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in both young and aging mice.

8 Sep 2021

Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted in the food cold chain?

A new study reports that the risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 through such fomites is very low.

30 Aug 2021

Vaccinia-based COVID-19 vaccines confer immunity in hamster model

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Kulkarni et al. (August 3, 2021), the potential of vaccinia virus-based vaccines expressing the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is examined in mice and Syrian hamsters. The findings report that the vaccine generates high titers of neutralizing antibodies with good activity towards SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

5 Aug 2021

How to run a COVID-19 vaccination campaign: lessons from other infectious outbreaks

A new paper, available on the medRxiv* preprint server, presents lessons learned from the implementation of three adult vaccine programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa and South America.

21 Jul 2021

Accelerating the design of minibinder therapeutics resilient to SARS-CoV-2 mutations

Multivalent protein-based minibinders hold great promise as potential prophylactic and treatment agents, as they can retain their activity against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. This was revealed in a recent tour-de-force research study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server while the article undergoes the peer review process.

11 Jul 2021