Shanghai Hospital to Develop mRNA Vaccine Targeting the 2019-nCoV in 40 Days

According to the Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University, a Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine targeting the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) may become available in a few months.

The project has already completed an emergency filing.

Announced in a press release on January 28, 2020, the mRNA vaccine will be co-developed by the Shanghai East Hospital and Stermirna Therapeutics Co., Ltd.

Li Hangwen, the CEO of Stermirna Therapeutics, is reported by Xinhua to have said ‘no more than 40 days will be needed to manufacture the vaccine samples based on the new generation of mRNA technology and some preliminary procedures.’

Li Hangwen said this accelerated development process can be achieved since mRNA vaccines have shorter development and production cycles.

Separately, Li Hangwen, a project leader of the translational medicine platform of Dongfang Hospital and chairman of Sri Lanka Microbiology, said in a press release ‘that using relevant platform technology, rapid synthesis of mRNAs with different antigen sequences targeting key targets of this new type of coronavirus, and through nano-lipid.’

The translational medical platform of Dongfang Hospital affiliated to Tongji University cooperated with Siwei (Shanghai) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and relied on the subject of "Shanghai Zhangjiang National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone Stem Cell Strategic Library and Stem Cell Technology Clinical Translation Platform" Sub-task-the results of the mRNA synthesis platform, to quickly promote the development of new coronavirus mRNA vaccines.

This drug-loaded technology is used to prepare the preparation, and in vivo and animal experiments are used to screen and verify effective antigens.

The new generation of mRNA vaccine technology that has emerged in recent years has the advantages of short development and production cycles and can realize the timely production and application of vaccines.

Based on this, large-scale preventive 2019-nCoV vaccine sample production and preparation will be completed within 40 days.

After completing the necessary approval process, the mRNA vaccine candidate can be promoted to the clinic as soon as possible.

Preventive vaccines are the key to extinguishing the large-scale epidemic of major infectious diseases. 

In view of the current epidemic of 2019-nCoV, the traditional vaccine has a problem that the production cycle is too long, said this press release. For example, the production cycle of the recombinant protein vaccine takes 5 to 6 months, which cannot meet the need to extinguish the epidemic in time.

Although several vaccine candidates are currently in clinical trials, many still remain in the pre-clinical stage.

Recent coronavirus vaccine news

• Johnson & Johnson intends to create a vaccine in the coming months to fight against the fast-spreading coronavirus. 
• Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. said it received funding for development through Phase 1 human testing of the INO-4800 vaccine candidate. 

Novel coronavirus vaccine news published by Precision Vaccinations.