They have changed the history of the pandemic, saved millions of lives, it is estimated: yet the vaccines against Covid-19 are not perfect. Also because chasing a virus that keeps changing is an unequal fight and at the same time a test we can’t help but undergo. For this reason there are those who think that a new generation of vaccines is needed and overseas the US is ready to take up the challenge. In fact, the program launched by the White House with the aim of financing the development of new vaccines and therapies against Covid-19 is called “Project Next Gen”. A sort of second chapter of the “Operation Warp Speed” initiative launched by the Trump government. To report it is the Washington Post (WP), which speaks of five billion dollars that will go to support companies engaged in research in this sector.
Covid: new vaccines desperately sought
by Roberta Villa
Biden’s goals
The investment, explains on the WP Ashish Jha, White House coordinator for the response to Covid-19, is based on the need to obtain vaccines that provide longer-lasting protection and are effective against the different variants that exist or that may emerge in the future. And maybe they succeed where the previous ones have failed, that is to prevent the spread of the virus and not just to reduce the risk of serious illness. Looking ahead, the ambitions are even greater: to develop a vaccine that is effective against various coronaviruses. But not only that, the project’s objectives also concern the development of new monoclonal antibodies: as reported last December in a use of the European Medicines Agency, in fact, those currently authorized for the therapy against Covid-19 are not very effective in recognizing the Spike protein of the new variants in circulation, especially as regards Omicron and its sub-lineages.
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The bet on nasal vaccines
According to Erik Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, one of the first objectives of “Project Next Gen” should be the development of nasal vaccines. According to the expert we should not be far from achieving the goal on this front. And the clues that come from many quarters seem to prove him right. From Beijing, to New York, to Delhi, to Berlin, for some time now researchers and pharmaceutical companies from half the world have been grappling with the development of a vaccine that can be administered locally and which serves to stimulate the immune system starting from nose and mouth mucous membranes, the first ones that come into contact with viruses, including Sars-Cov-2.
A new nasal vaccine against Covid: what changes
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Compared to the traditional version, administered intramuscularly, and which therefore stimulates the immune response at a systemic level, nasal vaccines would have – if they work – undoubted advantages. The first point in favor concerns the possible effectiveness in blocking the infection before the virus begins to replicate inside our cells: “Here is [a livello delle mucose delle alte vie respiratorie, nda] that we need local immunity if we want to catch a respiratory virus early”, explained just a few days ago Jakob Trimpertco-author of an article published on Nature Microbiologyannouncing the first encouraging results on a nasal vaccine.
Covid, spray vaccine promoted in the first test
by Donatella Zorzetto
Lo studio in fact, it reported the data relating to the first tests of a nasal spray against Covid-19, currently carried out on animal models. More studies and tests in humans will obviously be needed, but the results look promising. Another advantage is obviously the ease of administration, which would not require the intervention of medical personnel. At the same time, however, there are several challenges facing researchers developing them. Some experts report in particular the need to find a formulation that is able to generate a local immune response and that does not affect the deep respiratory tract, to avoid inflammation of the bronchi and lungs.