Nucleic Acid Vaccines use genetic material (DNA/RNA) from a viral protein that induces an immune response. The nucleic acid is inserted into human cells, which create copies of the virus protein. For many COVID-19 vaccines in development, the nucleic acid codes for the virus's spike protein. Both DNA and RNA vaccines trigger CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response to eradicate virus, in addition to antibody and CD4+ T cell responses.
However, because of their remarkable risk of failure, not a single nucleic acid vaccine has ever been licensed.

Some types of nucleic acid vaccines include (image):

Nucleic Acid Vaccines for COVID-19

Viral-Vector vaccines genetically engineer another virus, referred to as vectors, to carry genetic materials from the coronavirus and produce coronavirus proteins in the human body. These vectors are weakened and does not cause disease. Two main types are (shown in image):

Viral-Vector Vaccines for COVID-19

Virus vaccines use the virus itself, or  in a weakened or inactive form.

Virus Vaccines for COVID-19

Recent efforts to find a possible working vaccine for COVID-19 has allowed vaccine development to be distinct from traditional vaccines. Traditional vaccines for most viruses are either virus-based or protein-based. The idea behind next-generation vaccine platforms is to be able to develop a vaccine based on only sequence information and not by culturing the virus. Some of the non-traditional vaccines currently being developed are viral vector, nucleic acid-based vaccines and antigen-presenting cells.

New methods for COVID -19 vaccine development

Includes the scientific challenges and direction the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
- Challenges of development
- Vaccine antigen selection and design 
- Protective immunity 
- Preclinical evaluation of safety
- Manufacturing 
- Vaccine design itself is complicated
- Need for cold chain
- Consideration of cost
- Global distribution
-Authorization by US Food and Drug Administration and VRBAC
- Goals of development

Development of COVID-19 Vaccines

Nanotechnology is used to create modern vaccines because nanomaterials are best for antigen delivery. Nanotechnology advances have helped novel vaccine candidates to clinical trials at a surprising speed. Nanotechnology and viruses work at the same length scale, which specifically helps vaccine development. mRNA vaccine being developed is delivered through lipid nanoparticles.

Nanotechnology in vaccine delivery

Subunit vaccines use only the essential antigen or other purified protein subunits of the pathogen via a harmless vector that can best stimulate the immune system. The chance of developing an adverse reaction is significantly lower than in other vaccine types and they elicit a strong immune response. However, they often require adjuvants to stimulate an adequate response and it is difficult to identify the precise antigens that induce long-term immunity.

Subunit Vaccine

- NVX-CoV2373 from Novavax Inc
- Anhui Zhifei Longcom / Chinese Academy Vaccine
- CoVLP from Medicago
- rAd26-S and rAd5-S (Sputnik V) from the Gamaleya Center 
- Ad26.COV2.S from Johnson & Johnson
- Ad5-nCoV from CanSino Biologics
- ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 from The University of Oxford
- mRNA-1273 from ModernaTX
- BNT162b2 from Pfizer and BioNTech
- Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Vaccine from Murdoch Institute in Australia
- Vaccine from Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Vaccine
- CoronaVac from Sinovac Biotech Ltd
- BBIBP-CorV from Beijing Institute of Biological Products
- BBV152 from Covaxin



Vaccine Candidates of Interest (Lit Review)

• DNA vaccine consists of delivering genes or fragments of it, encoding immunogenic antigens to the host's cells by using DNA plasmids as a vector.

• Compared with traditional live or attenuated vaccines, DNA vaccines have several advantages, such as induction of broad immune responses without any risk being associated with replicating microorganisms; stimulation of both cellular and humoral immunity; construction of a vector encoding different antigens in a single vaccine; efficient large-scale, low-cost, production; and high storage stability

• A clinical trial was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of orally immunized bacTRL-Spike vaccine in healthy adults. However, this study has not yet started recruiting, and the estimated completion date is December 31, 2021 Moreover, the safety and immunogenicity of GX-19, another DNA vaccine against COVID-19 that uses intramuscular immunizations are already in clinical trials.

• mRNA vaccines do not need to reach the cell nucleus like the DNA ones, which is one of the potential practical advantages. The mRNA-1273 (Moderna Inc. Cambridge, MA, USA) was the first mRNA vaccine to be designed against COVID-19 and has achieved a time record of 63 days from vaccine design to human trials.

• Developing vaccines against COVID-19 require further studies on gene mutations and how to avoid vaccine failure because of them.

DNA Vaccines against COVID-19: Perspectives and Challenges

- Development of COVID-19 Vaccines
- Types of Vaccines:
     - Virus Vaccines
     - Nucleic Acid Vaccines
     - Viral Vector Vaccines
     - Subunit Vaccines

Carnegie Mellon University

Smith College

San Jose State University

University of California, Santa Cruz

Manipulates genomes of organisms, such as animal models, and the virus to develop and/or test therapeutics for COVID-19 

Genetic Engineering for COVID-19

Prophylactic treatment may be used to prevent COVID-19 infection, especially for high-risk individuals. 

Prophylactic Treatment of COVID-19

Callaway, E. (2020). The race for coronavirus vaccines: A graphical guide. Nature, 580(7805), 576-577. doi:10.1038/d41586-020-01221-y

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01221-y

The race for coronavirus vaccines: a graphical guide

- Virologica Sinica

- Nature Biotechnology

- The New England Journal of Medicine

- The Lancet

- medRxiv

- Nature

- Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology

- Nature Nanotechnology

- Science Translational Medicine

- Frontiers in Immunology

- European Journal of Pharmacology

Genetic Engineering for COVID-19 References by Journal

Genetic Engineering in Vaccine Development for COVID-19

Genetic Engineering in Genome Sequencing for COVID-19

Convalescent plasma (filtered plasma containing antibodies from recovered individuals) is a treatment option with ongoing research. It can be used as treatment for severely ill patients or as prophylaxis for highly susceptible individuals. While many patients show marked improvement in symptoms, studies involving CP also include other treatment, so the sole effectiveness of CP transfusion is yet unclear. Recovered individuals are encouraged to donate their plasma for research and recovery.

Convalescent Plasma (CP) Transfusion as Prophylactic Treatment for COVID-19

Researchers used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate hydroxychloroquine sulfate as a potential postexposure prophylactic drug for COVID-19. After recruitment in the United States and Canada, 821 asymptomatic individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 were treated within 4 days of contact with infected individuals. Participants were considered highly exposed if they were less than 6 feet away from an individual with confirmed COVID-19 infection for more than 10 minutes without wearing a mask or eye shield. Moderately exposed individuals met all these requirements except they were wearing a mask during exposure. Participants were given either placebo (n=407) or hydroxychloroquine sulfate (n=414) tablets on a dosing regimen. They were monitored for the incidence of COVID-19 infection or related symptoms for 14 days. The results of the study showed that there was no significant difference between new illness and symptoms compatible with COVID-19 infection in the hydroxychloroquine sulfate and placebo groups (11.8% and 14.3%, respectively).  

Hydroxychloroquine as Prophylactic Treatment for COVID-19

In a study of 164 healthcare workers in Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China, oral administration of the antiviral drug Arbidol was significantly correlated with reduced rates of COVID-19 among participants. 

Umifenovir (Arbidol) as Prophylactic Treatment for COVID-19

Because of their beneficial effects on strengthening the immune system, prescribing supplements such as prebiotics and probiotics to the elderly, immunocompromised individuals and front-line health care workers may be a cost-effective and important strategy in preventing and controlling the spread of the virus.  

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