Next generation mRNA vaccines
In 2020, I was a subject in the Moderna phase III trial for their COVID mRNA vaccine. At the same time, Pfizer-BioNTec trialed a similar mRNA vaccine. Both mRNA vaccines proved highly successful. In both cases, chemically modified mRNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is injected, programming cells that receive the mRNA to produce and secrete spike protein until the mRNA decays.
Now, a innovative self-amplifying mRNA vaccine has been approved in Japan has been developed that requires far less modified mRNA:
“Self-amplifying mRNA vaccines contain a gene that encodes the spike protein as well as viral genes that code for replicase, the enzyme that serves as a photocopier. So one self-amplifying mRNA molecule can produce many more.”
This self-amplifying mRNA proved to be more effective than the Pfizer-BioNTec vaccine in eliciting a high-titer antibody response.
One concern I have is that the expression of the viral replicase will elicit a T-cell-mediated immune response that will block booster injections by killing cells that express the replicase proteins.
Stephanie Arnett/Mittr | ENVATO
What could possibly go wrong?
That’s why they have clinical trials. I hope they include multiple boosters in this trial. In the Moderna trial, the original protocol was a single booster 30 days after the first jab. They ended up including another booster about six months in, at which point they broke the blind so the folks in the placbo arm could get vaccinated as well.
Oh, I don’t know, Alan, the eclipse proves that the world is round … ?