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Delta infection: Unvaccinated and vaccinated people have similar levels of virus The COVID-19 Infection Survey regularly tests a random sample of people in the United Kingdom for SARS-CoV-2. Researchers have analyzed the study data taken before and after the Delta variant became dominant in the U.K. The researchers found that vaccinated people with the Delta variant could have a viral load similar to those who had not received a vaccination. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/delta-infection-unvaccinated-and-vaccinated-people-have-similar-levels-of-virus

At a Senate hearing it was revealed that almost half the staff at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centre of Disease Control (CDC) did not take the vaccine. Healthcare professionals….

https://www.mti.gov.sg/-/media/MTI/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2020/04/Tightened-List-of-Essential-Services-and-Measures-for-Workplaces-Which-Remain-Open.pdf

University of Waterloo developing DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing a DNA-based vaccine that can be delivered through a nasal spray. The vaccine will work by using engineered bacteriophage, a process that will allow the vaccine to stimulate an immune response in the nasal cavity and target tissues in the lower respiratory tract. “When complete, our DNA-based vaccine will be administered non-invasively as a nasal spray that delivers nanomedicine engineered to immunize and decrease COVID-19 infections,” explains Roderick Slavcev, a professor in the School of Pharmacy who specializes in designing vaccines, pharmaceuticals and gene-therapy treatments. “This research combines the expertise of many and leverages existing technology developed by my team, which we’re reconfiguring for a COVID-19 application.” When completed, the researchers aim to have the DNA-based vaccine enter cells in targeted tissues and cause them to produce a virus-like particle (VLP) that will stimulate an immune response in people. The VLP will look similar to the structure of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19), but is harmless. This similarity will activate the body’s natural immune response to protect against viral infections comparable to the VLP, including SARS-CoV-2. It will also bind to receptors that SARS-CoV-2 would bind to, limiting the possible sites for transmission. By causing these changes in the body, the vaccine will build immunity against COVID-19 and decrease the severity of infections in progress – serving as both a therapeutic and a vaccine. Every detail of the vaccine, from ensuring the bacteriophage target specific cells in the respiratory tract to creating a minimal VLP to impersonate SARS-CoV-2, is specifically engineered by the researchers and requires testing. To achieve the design of such a complex project, Slavcev is teaming up with Emmanuel Ho, another professor at the School of Pharmacy, and Marc Aucoin, professor of chemical engineering. Ho’s team is designing the nanomedication that will be delivered by the nasal spray, which is currently being tested. Aucoin’s lab is constructing and purifying the VLP and boosting immunity following the initial administration of the therapeutic vaccine. “It is the collaborative effort of our talented teams that makes this multidisciplinary project so feasible and necessarily efficient as a potential universal vaccine solution against SARS-CoV infections,” says Slavcev. “To practice science with such urgency alongside such talented colleagues and their students is not only immensely educational, it is extremely rewarding.” Slavcev’s team has completed design of the bacteriophage delivery system and is currently modifying this system to apply to COVID-19. Additional design of components and further testing will take place later this year. Components of the research are supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Note: This research has not yet been peer-reviewed and is being released as part of UWaterloo’s commitment to help inform Canada’s COVID-19 response. Source

New drug shows promise against coronavirus, set to enter human trials soon With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, finding a cure to combat the disease has become the foremost priority of researchers across the world. Offering some good news amidst this crisis is a new drug that could turn the tide against SARS-CoV-2. According to a study led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the new drug — EIDD-2801 — was found to reduce lung damage caused by the disease in mice and cultured human cells. What is better is that it was also found to be effective against other coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The researchers discovered that when the drug is employed as a prophylactic — medication used as a preventive measure — EIDD-2801 could prevent acute lung damage in infected mice. "This new drug not only has high potential for treating COVID-19 patients, but also appears effective for the treatment of other serious coronavirus infections," said Ralph Baric, senior author of the study, in a statement. EIDD-2801 has been approved by the FDA for human trials. What is EIDD-2801? It is an oral form of an antiviral compound known as EIDD-1931, which was developed by the Emory Institute for Drug Development (EIDD). The drug inhibits the replication of a broad spectrum of coronaviruses. When consumed as a pill, it ensures better absorption and transportation to the lungs. Mark Denison, a collaborator in the current study, served as the senior author of another study published in December 2019, which first reported that EIDD-1931 prevented the replication of multiple RNA viruses. Effective and easy administration When EIDD-2801 was used to treat the infection 12 to 24 hours after its onset, the drug was found to reduce the level of weight loss and lung damage in mice. When compared to mice, the period between the contraction of the disease and death is significantly longer in human beings. Therefore, the chances of seeing favourable human results are higher. SARS-CoV-2 Wikimedia Commons One of the primary advantages of EIDD-2801 is its mode of administration. Unlike other potential treatment options that are delivered intravenously, EIDD-2801 can be taken as a pill. Also, it has the prospective advantage for prophylaxis-preventive treatment — in scenarios where people may have been exposed to the coronavirus but do not present symptoms. Potential to tackle new coronaviruses in the future While EIDD-2801 was found to be effective against Sars cov2, it was also found to be effective against related coronaviruses that cause Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The drug has also shown a potent response against viruses that cause diseases such as chikungunya, Ebola, influenza, Eastern equine encephalitis, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis. Cautioning that the emergence of new coronaviruses cannot be ruled out, Timothy Sheahan, first author of the study, said: "With three novel human coronaviruses emerging in the past 20 years, it is likely that we will continue to see more." 3D medical animation coronavirus structure Wikimedia Commons As the drug exhibits a strong antiviral response against several lethal viruses, Sheahan emphasized that the new drug could potentially serve as an important weapon in the fight against future outbreaks. "EIDD-2801 holds promise to not only treat COVID-19 patients today, but to treat new coronaviruses that may emerge in the future," he added. Could complement Remdesivir As of now, Remdesivir, a broad range antiviral, is being touted as a suitable candidate to treat patients suffering from COVID-19. It was developed by Gilead Sciences, a US-based biotechnology company, and was found to exhibit a strong antiviral response against the SARS and MERS coronaviruses. The drug is currently in clinical trials among COVID-19 patients. However, a recent study by Maria Agostini(co-author of the current study) demonstrated that viruses that showed resistance against Remdesivir were inhibited by EIDD-1931 to a higher degree. Thus, a treatment involving the combination of both drugs may show larger efficiency. "Viruses that carry Remdesivir resistance mutations are actually more susceptible to EIDD-1931 and vice versa, suggesting that the two drugs could be combined for greater efficacy and to prevent the emergence of resistance," said George Painter, co-author and director of EIDD. Source