Numerous human infectious Pan-Spectrum Vaccine diseases originate from animals, posing significant health risks when they escalate to epidemic or pandemic levels. Over the last two decades, several strains of coronaviruses have caused major pandemics by jumping from animals to humans.
Pan-Spectrum Vaccine
The first pandemic of the 21st century, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), occurred in 2002/03, followed by Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012. The most impactful coronavirus to date, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has triggered the ongoing global pandemic crisis.
In response, public health efforts have shifted toward a more proactive approach to address the current pandemic and enhance preparedness for future outbreaks.
Vaccine Development: From Reactive to Proactive
One notable area of progress is vaccine development, where accelerated efforts have yielded remarkable successes. During the current pandemic, vaccines targeting severe illness, hospitalization, and virus transmission were developed at unprecedented speeds, with over 13.5 billion doses administered globally.
However, the existing vaccine development strategy does not adequately address the rapid evolution and genetic variation of viruses. This evolution can give rise to new variants that evade the immune response, diminishing the effectiveness of existing vaccines. To counter this challenge, novel, innovative approaches to vaccine design are essential.
Pan-Spectrum Vaccines: A Promising Frontier
Advancements in computational biology have paved the way for the development of pan-spectrum vaccines capable of targeting a wide range of viral infections. By leveraging genomics and synthetic biology, several candidates are undergoing early human clinical trials.
One notable example is DIOSynVax, a company utilizing computational biology, protein structure analysis, immune optimization, and synthetic biology to design vaccines effective against multiple coronaviruses. Their goal is to create broad-spectrum vaccines capable of providing immunity against various viruses within the same family or genus, while remaining effective against evolving strains.
Targeting Multiple Variants: The Approach
DIOSynVax’s strategy involves studying the genetic relationships between sarbecoviruses, such as SARS and SARS-CoV-2, to identify conserved regions of the viral genome essential for virus survival. Using this information, they develop synthetic epitopes grafted onto an antigen structure to create a vaccine antigen payload (VAP). This approach aims to provide comprehensive protection against existing and emerging sarbecoviruses.
Promising Results and Future Prospects
Animal trials conducted by DIOSynVax have shown that the VAP provides robust protection against multiple sarbecoviruses, including current SARS-CoV-2 variants and those responsible for the original SARS epidemic. Human clinical trials are underway, signaling a promising step forward in vaccine development.
Other companies, such as OSIVAX, are also exploring innovative approaches to develop pan-sarbecovirus vaccines, with several clinical trials in progress. These efforts highlight the potential of genomics, data-sharing, and synthetic biology to revolutionize vaccine development and prepare for future viral pandemics.
