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But such vaccines are "going to take years to develop," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a White House briefing on Wednesday.
Coronaviruses that infect humans were first identified in the mid-1960s, and there are seven known human coronaviruses: four that cause common colds; Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS; severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS; and SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
However, public health officials emphasize that it's still important to get vaccinated now
Although those vaccines have shown effectiveness against infection and illness of around 90% and higher against the wild-type, that effectiveness against some SARS-CoV-2 variants has seen a small dip, dropping to 66% against Delta infections, for instance, and even lower for Omicron. But a third dose of the vaccine -- or a booster shot -- can improve protection against variants.
Within weeks, scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research expect to announce that they have developed a vaccine that is effective against COVID-19 and all its variants, even Omicron, as well as previous SARS-origin viruses that have killed millions of people worldwide.
The achievement is the result of almost two years of work on the virus. The Army lab received its first DNA sequencing of the COVID-19 virus in early 2020. Very early on, Walter Reed’s infectious diseases branch decided to focus on making a vaccine that would work against not just the existing strain but all of its potential variants as well.
Walter Reed’s Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine, or SpFN, completed animal trials earlier this year with positive results. Phase 1 of human trials, wrapped up this month, again with positive results that are undergoing final review, Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of Walter Reed’s infectious diseases branch, said in an exclusive interview with Defense One on Tuesday. The new vaccine will still need to undergo phase 2 and phase 3 trials.
How does the Army vaccine work against COVID-19 and other coronaviruses?
The vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson all target the specific virus -- SARS-CoV-2 -- that causes COVID-19. But Army scientists designed their vaccine to protect against future strains of COVID as well as other coronaviruses.
The Army's SpFN vaccine is shaped like a soccer ball with 24 faces. Scientists can attach the spikes of multiple coronavirus strains to each of the different faces, allowing them to customize the vaccine for any new COVID variants that arise.
"The accelerating emergence of human coronaviruses throughout the past two decades and the rise of SARS-CoV-2 variants, including most recently omicron, underscore the continued need for next-generation preemptive vaccines that confer broad protection against coronavirus diseases," Modjarrad said in a December statement. "Our strategy has been to develop a 'pan-coronavirus' vaccine technology that could potentially offer safe, effective and durable protection against multiple coronavirus strains and species.
No date has been set. SpFN successfully completed animal testing and wrapped Phase 1 of human trials in December, but it must still complete Phases 2 and 3 of human testing, when its safety and efficacy is compared to current vaccine options.
Normally, completing all three phases can take up to five years, but the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic is speeding up the process. The Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, for example, were tested, reviewed and authorized by the Food and Drug Administration over the course of one year. "
Walter Reed’s Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine, or SpFN,
originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: infolurker
Its no different from the mRNA.
Walter Reed’s Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine, or SpFN,
originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: infolurker
Its no different from the mRNA.
Walter Reed’s Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccine, or SpFN,
originally posted by: rickymouse
Every time they have tried to make vaccines against coronaviruses it has failed