U.S. Military Develops Possible Universal Coronavirus Vaccine

 

In my news feed today there appeared an article in Defense One saying that the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) has developed a new coronavirus vaccine. This one, the article claimed, "is effective against COVID-19 and all its variants, even Omicron, as well as previous SARS-origin" viruses. It is also stable at non-freezing temperatures.

According to the article, the vaccine uses something called a spike ferritin nanoparticle. It was described as something like a tiny soccer ball, with different coronavirus spike proteins attached to its panels. It sounds, then, like this is not an mRNA vaccine but something more akin to traditional vaccines. 

The unique formulation means that it can theoretically elicit a broad immune response against all kinds of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. Initial tests in animals showed positive results, as have Phase 1 clinical trials in humans. Phase 2 & 3 trials are pending.

Walter Reed put out a correction of some misinformation in early reports. Those (including the quote above) said it even stopped Omicron; however, WRAIR says the vaccine was in fact not tested against that variant.

If it works out it will be good news. I'm not quite clear on how it could work against future variants, unless maybe they are able to represent all the possible mutations on it. The WRAIR correction suggests we can't automatically assume it will.

It also remains to be seen whether this would encourage more people to take the vaccine, given that it doesn't involve your genetic machinery. Of course the J&J vaccine doesn't either, and there are people who won't take it. The fact that it was developed by the military likely won't sit well with conspiracy-minded COVIDiots, either.

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