AstraZeneca Initiates Global Recall of COVID-19 Vaccine
In a significant move that reverberates across the global vaccination landscape, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced a worldwide recall of its COVID-19 vaccine
Preclinical data on the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine developed at MedUni Vienna show that it is effective against all known variants of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron - even in individuals who have not yet developed immunity to SARS-CoV-2 as result of vaccination (unresponsive cases). The survey data was recently published in the leading journal Allergy.
The vaccine, developed at MedUni in Vienna under the direction of Rudolf Valenta of the Center for Antifungal Pathophysiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, targets the SARS-CoV-2 virus receptor binding (RBD) regions and elicits a strong and steady response to RBD-specific IgG antibodies in animal models and in human tests. This antibody response prevents the virus from attaching to and entering the body's cells, so infection cannot occur.
Currently available genetic vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 cause mainly transient reactions to IgG1 antibodies, while the PreS-RBD vaccine may further induce long-term RBD-specific IgG4 antibodies.
“The PreS-RBD vaccine has the potential to induce sterility immunity to old and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 by preventing infection by stopping viral replication and transmission by inhibiting virus cell penetration,” said study leader Rudolf Valenta. Moreover, the vaccine is expected to be effective even in people who have not previously responded to vaccination (“non-responders to RBD”), as they will receive additional T-cell support from the PreS portion of the vaccine. An earlier study by Valenta and colleagues found that approximately 20% of those who recovered from COVID-19 failed to produce RBD-specific antibodies and were thus at constant risk of re-infection.
The development of this Austrian vaccine for COVID is largely inspired by decades of experience in the development of allergy vaccines. Previous work on allergy vaccines and clinical trials with PreS-based allergy vaccines have shown the safety of PreS-based vaccines, even when used repeatedly.
“Our data give us reason to hope that this easily manufactured protein-based vaccine antigen will be effective against all known variants of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron,” said study leader Rudolf Valenta. “The vaccine is designed to allow multiple injections to build stable sterility immunity, is suitable for use in all age and risk groups, and appears to be superior to currently available vaccines in inducing neutralizing antibodies.”
If sufficient funding is provided, the first clinical trials required for approval could be conducted this year.
Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook
Write to us at editors@novinite.com
Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg
/BGNES
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
Bulgaria has updated its immunization calendar, granting general practitioners the authority to administer whooping cough (pertussis) vaccines to newborns two weeks earlier than before, starting at six weeks after birth
In a significant move that reverberates across the global vaccination landscape, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced a worldwide recall of its COVID-19 vaccine
Eurostat, the European Union's statistics agency, unveiled alarming findings regarding Bulgaria's COVID-19 mortality rates in 2021, shedding light on the nation's sobering position atop the EU's death rate chart
Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev ordered the cancellation of the Council of Ministers' decision to establish the private Mom and Me Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment in Sofia, the government press service said on Saturday.
Bulgaria is set to establish its emergency air assistance service by the end of May, marking a significant step forward in the country's healthcare infrastructure
New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores concerns over the global surge in antibiotic usage during the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially exacerbating the silent threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Sofia Airport's Terminal 3 Construction Set to Begin in Early 2026
COVID-19 Impact: Bulgaria's Grim Milestone as Highest Death Rate in EU