Neutralizing antibody against COVID-19
observed in animal testing
With the advantage of responding rapidly to
coronavirus mutation, green bio COVID19 vaccine competition begins
Hanmi Science (CEO Lim Chong-yoon, Hanmi
Group Holding Company) and a promising bio-venture Bioapp (CEO Son Eun-joo),
which is developing various plant-based antigen proteins, potential vaccine
candidates against COVID-19, entered into an R&D cooperation agreement on
June 16, and announced the results of high antibody response of their
candidates verified in animal experiments with mice and guinea pigs on July
9th.
Along with this, Professor Kim Dong-min of
Chosun University, School of Medicine and his team evaluated efficacies for
Bioapp’s antigens with various adjuvants from Curatis. The research team
confirmed that cell-mediated and humoral immune responses were activated after
2 doses, showing16,000 binding antibody titer in the ELISA.
Bioapp said, “We are planning to assess the
capability of these proteins to generate neutralizing antibodies against
SARS-CoV-2. According to the high amount of binding antibody we achieved, we
are confident to observe large number of neutralizing antibodies.”
Bioapp CEO Son Eun-joo said this was “the
first case demonstrating the potential for the plant-based SARS-CoV-2 antigen
proteins to become a vaccine in Korea.” Also stating, “The research team will
evaluate the ability of protection against viral infection through a challenge
test in animal models with ferrets (a mammal of the weasel family) and
hamsters.”
Green bio-based COVID-19 vaccine is one of
the most innovative attempt to conquer the challenge imposed by the pandemic
with its advantage in reducing the vaccine development timeline up to 6 weeks
(typically, vaccine development process with eggs could take up to 6 months),
enabling quick response against emergent of possible mutations of viruses.
Hence the global pharmaceutical companies’ green bio-based COVID-19 vaccine
roundup began.
On July 7th, GSK, a frontrunner for the
infectious disease area, announced the co-development collaboration with a
Canadian green-vaccine developer, Medicago(a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe)
for the development of plant-based COVID-19 vaccine. The type of vaccine
involved in this collaboration is the same type of vaccine (plant-derived
virus-like particle) currently under development by Hanmi Science and Bioapp.
