Queensland scientists racing to make a COVID-19 vaccine are upbeat as their research begins critical human trials this week, joining another Australian project to end the pandemic
Queensland scientists racing to make a COVID-19 vaccine are upbeat as their research begins critical human trials this week, joining another Australian project and 28 international efforts to end the pandemic.
A test subject receives a jab in the first-stage safety study for Moderna's mRNA vaccine, which shapes as one of the most promising projects.University of Queensland scientist Professor Gabrielle Belz says the virus looks like a good vaccine target and, critically, it mutates slowly. "That is a really big bonus," she said.It has what Professor Belz calls a "nice big spike protein", which makes it a perfect target for vaccines.
Molecular clamp technology works by holding the virus' spike protein in the right shape for the human immune system to develop immunity.Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, founder of Vaxine – an Australian biotech competing to develop its own vaccine – said: "Fancy engineering does not always translate to better vaccines."He said molecular clamp technology was based on "work [the university has] done with MERS, which is a completely different virus to COVID-19.
"How are we going? Two words: incredibly well. So far, the results of clinical trials have been encouraging: good, strong immune responses," he said.That meant the ones to watch were those using mRNA, a simple technology that could quickly be mass-produced, Professor Godfrey said.
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