Some of the most frequently noticed symptoms of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include fever, cough, fatigue, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. At our company, we are committed to advancing the fight against COVID-19 through comprehensive vaccine and therapy development services.
Introduction to COVID-19
The escalation of COVID-19 as an international health concern arose due to the introduction of a new SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was globalized in no time after being first discovered in Wuhan, China in 2019. The WHO subsequently labeled it as a pandemic because of its influx across the world. Bare breath, coughing and sore throat, fever being some prominent indicators, along with being a respiratory illness, the disease also takes a severe form that can eventually result in post viral pneumonia, severe ARDS and risk of death.
Fig.1 A structure of Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus. (Ahmad S., 2022)
Vaccine Development for COVID-19
Viral Vector Vaccines
The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are examples of viral vector vaccines that utilize a virus other than SARS-CoV-2 to transport the genetic code for the spike protein used by SARS-CoV-2, which genetically modifies the cell. Such does activate an immune response. These vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective.
mRNA Vaccines
The Pfizer and BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines make use of Messenger RNA technologies with the goal of creating harmless variants of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and instilling that in cells. This enables an immune response which educates the body's immune system against the virus if exposed.
Protein Subunit Vaccines
SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins mimics are contained in a protein subunit vaccine like Novavax which is harmless and evokes an immune response without the risk of having a disease, it is however a type of protein guide. This sorts of vaccines provide an economic method for the induction of some immunogenicity and have been shown to have potential in assessments.
Inactivated or Live Attenuated Vaccines
Vaccines like Sinovac and Sinopharm use inactivated viruses which have been rendered incapable of causing disease. In contrast there are some vaccines, like live attenuated, that employ the least virulent form of the virus. Live viruses are typically utilized for research purposes and further trials are pending.
Therapeutics Development for COVID-19
Various therapies have been devised for the treatment of COVID-19 with the aim of tackling different facets of the disease such as antiviral drugs and immune suppressants.
- Antiviral Drugs: An example of this type of drug is Remdesivir that acts by inhibiting the replication of the virus. Another antiviral drug is Favipiravir which acts by inhibiting the RNA polymerase of the virus.
- Immunomodulators: Baricitinib is JAK inhibitor that decreases the inflammation and the triggering of cytokine storm in cases with severe covid-19.
- Corticosteroids: Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid that is employed in critical covid cases and has been observed to reduce the death rate by suppressing the immune system.
- Antibody Therapies: Bamlanivimab and etesevimab are monoclonal antibodies that target the virus and enable the body to combat the infection.
Table 1 Drugs and Therapies for COVID-19. (Ahmad S., 2022)
|
Drug |
Dosage |
Method of administration |
Duration |
| IFN-α |
5 million U or equivalent dose each time, 2 times/day |
Vapor inhalation |
No more than 10 days |
| Lopinavir/ritonavir |
200 mg/50 mg/capsule, 2 capsules each time, 2 times/day |
Oral |
No more than 10 days |
| Ribavirin |
500 mg each time, 2 to 3 times/day in combination with IFN-α or lopinavir/ritonavir |
Intravenous infusion |
No more than 10 days |
| Chloroquine phosphate |
500 mg (300 mg for chloroquine) each time, 2 times/day |
Oral |
No more than 10 days |
| Arbidol |
200 mg each time, 3 times/day |
Oral |
No more than 10 days |
Our Services
In the realm of diagnostics, our company stands tall and provides extensive services to foster the development of vaccines and therapy against COVID-19. Our services enable the entry of efficient solutions in the market and are designed to aid researchers and pharmaceutical companies to that effect.
Preclinical Research
- Pharmacodynamics Study Services
- Pharmacokinetics Study Services
- Drug Safety Evaluation Services
Disease Models
- hACE2 Transgenic Mouse Models
- K18-hACE2 Mouse Models
- hACE2-KI Mouse Models
- Mouse Models Sensitized by AAV/Adenovirus Transduction
- Non-Human Primates (NHPs)
We conduct extensive in vitro assays to assess the efficacy of vaccine candidates and therapeutic agents against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, our in vivo studies evaluate safety, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetics, providing critical data for advancing candidates into clinical trials. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Ahmad, Shmmon. "A review of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) diagnosis, treatments and prevention." Authorea Preprints (2022).
- Sanders, James M., et al. "Pharmacologic treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a review." Jama 323.18 (2020): 1824-1836.
- Zhao, Jing, et al. "COVID-19: coronavirus vaccine development updates." Frontiers in immunology 11 (2020): 602256.
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use
only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.
