Coronavirus vaccine shows promising immune response in animals, University of Washington researchers say

R&I ~ Løki

Researchers with the University of Washington’s Department of Microbiology say a coronavirus vaccine they are developing has generated protective antibodies in mice and non-human primates with just one injection.

The design of this vaccine, the researchers say, may also facilitate scalable production to avoid bottlenecks in getting onto the market.

“Our vaccine was able to meet key requirements for an effective pandemic vaccine,” said Dr. Deborah Fuller, one of the scientists leading the effort on Monday. “It was able to induce immunity quickly, it was able to induce T cell responses, and it contributes to protection from disease.”

Fuller said that a type of white blood cell known as T cells have responded favorably to the vaccine, providing a second line of defense against Covid-19 — that’s in addition to antibodies, blood proteins created by the immune system in response to the presence of a virus.

The vaccine is comprised of replicating RNA and a lipid based nanoparticle designed to stabilize and enhance its entry into cells.

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Article URL : https://www.kuow.org/stories/rna-coronavirus-vaccine-shows-promising-immune-response-in-animals-uw-researchers-say