Abstract
Recently, the research community has had a real-world look at reasons for improving vaccine responses to emerging RNA viruses. Here, a vaccine non-specialist suggests how this might be done. I propose two alternative options and compare the primary alternative option with current practice. The basis of comparison is feasibility in achieving what we need: a safe, mass-produced, emerging virus-targeted vaccine on 2–4 week notice. The primary option is the following. (1) Start with a platform based on live viruses that infect bacteria, but not humans (bacteriophages, or phages). (2) Isolate phages (to be called pathogen homologs) that resemble and provide antigenic context for membrane-covered, pathogenic RNA viruses; coronavirus-phage homologs will probably be found if the search is correctly done. (3) Upon isolating a viral pathogen, evolve its phage homolog to bind antibodies neutralizing for the viral pathogen. Vaccinate with the evolved phage homolog by generating a local, non-hazardous infection with the phage host and then curing the infection by propagating the phage in the artificially infecting bacterial host. I discuss how this alternative option has the potential to provide what is needed after appropriate platforms are built.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 255 |
Journal | Antibiotics |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2020 |
Keywords
- Bacteriophage
- Coronavirus
- Directed evolution
- Emerging viral pathogen
- Vaccine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology (medical)
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology