Cover news reporter Ning Zhi
The Delta variant of the new coronavirus is ravaging the world and is now spreading in more than 100 countries, and WHO scientists say the global COVID-19 outbreak is in the "early stages of the third wave".
In the face of the constantly mutating new crown virus, vaccination is the most economical and effective means of preventing and controlling new crown pneumonia. Recently, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, professor of Sichuan University, director of the Clinical Oncology Center and director of the State Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy of West China Hospital of Sichuan University, said in an interview with the cover news reporter that China's first recombinant protein new crown vaccine produced by insect cells has entered the third phase of clinical practice and is applying for emergency use.
Academician Wei Yuquan (left)
China's first recombinant protein new crown vaccine produced by insect cells was developed by The team of Academician Wei Yuquan, based on the precise design of structural biology, targeting the binding site of the new coronavirus and human cells, using insect cells to multiply in a large number of culture solutions, introducing the genes of the new coronavirus into insect cells, and producing high-quality recombinant vaccine proteins.
According to the data of clinical trials, the first recombinant protein new crown vaccine produced by insect cells in China has safety and efficacy. The phase III clinical trial of the vaccine is undergoing international cooperation with Japan, Nepal, Kenya, Indonesia, Bahrain, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Mexico and other countries.
>> talk to Academician Wei Yuquan
Q: What is the progress of research and development of the first recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine produced by insect cells in China?
Academician Wei Yuquan: At present, it is doing phase III clinical trials in Kenya, Mexico and other countries.
Q: Will the vaccine be able to cope with the mutated virus?
Academician Wei Yuquan: The new crown mutant virus is constantly emerging, and the data shows that this vaccine still has advantages over the mutated virus, including the mutant virus that appears in India, Brazil and other places, and the comprehensive antibodies are good.
Q: When will the vaccine be officially available?
Academician Wei Yuquan: Now this vaccine has been used in clinical practice. It is now communicating with the relevant state departments to see if it can be used urgently. The research we are doing now is 18-60 years old, and we are going to do children's research soon.
>> R&D timeline
In February 2020, the official Weibo and WeChat of the Sichuan Association for the Promotion of International Medical Exchanges released the news that the new coronavirus recombinant protein vaccine developed by the State Key Laboratory of Biological Therapy of West China Hospital of Sichuan University has been subjected to animal experiments. The use of insects to produce recombinant protein vaccines, cervical cancer vaccines and influenza vaccines and other products have been listed in Europe and the United States and other countries, and their application safety in humans has been verified.
In July 2020, researchers in the lab published a relevant research paper in the internationally renowned journal Nature. According to the paper, the vaccine was found to have a good protective effect on the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in animals such as monkeys, and no obvious side effects were seen.
In August 2020, the vaccine was approved for clinical trials by the State Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine introduces the genes of the new crown virus into insect cells to produce high-quality recombinant vaccine proteins and delicately purifies them, which are easy to produce on a large scale and put on the market.
In August 2020, the first vaccine was injected into volunteers.
In November 2020, it was officially announced that the vaccine had entered Phase II clinical trials.
In July 2021, Academician Wei Yuquan revealed that the vaccine has entered phase III clinical trials.
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