COVID-19: Remedies / Vaccines Introduction: Gilead, Moderna, Regeneron, Sanofi, Inovio
[AFP March 20]
COVID-19: therapeutics and vaccines
Pharmaceutical companies and research laboratories around the world are rapidly developing new coronavirus therapeutics and vaccines.
■ Gilliad Sciences
Development company: US Pharmaceutical Gilead Sciences
Development target: Therapeutic agent
Practical application: Late this year
Gilead’s antiviral drug “remedisivir”:
It is considered that the drug for COVID-19 is the closest to the market.
■ Modelna
Development company: US Pharmaceutical Modelna (Moderna)
Development target: Vaccine
Practical application time: 12-18 months later
When the new coronavirus binds to and infects human cells, it uses the site “spike protein”.
The team at the University of Texas at Austin has created this reproduction model.
After confirming the efficacy of this RNA vaccine in mouse experiments, the first human clinical trial on March 16 began.
■ Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Development company: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, USA
Development target: Therapeutic agents and vaccines
Practical application: Detailed schedule not yet disclosed
Regeneron developed an intravenous drug in 2019 using a “monoclonal antibody”.
This drug has been shown to significantly increase survival in patients with Ebola.
■ Sanofi
Development company: Sanofi, France
Development target: Vaccine
Practical application date: TBD
Sanofi is developing vaccine candidates in partnership with the US government using a technology called “recombinant DNA platform”.
In sanofi / vaccine development, the DNA of the new coronavirus is combined with the DNA of a harmless virus.
Then, a chimera that causes an immune response was created.
■ Innovio Pharmaceuticals
Development company: Inovio Pharmaceuticals
Development target: Vaccine
Practical use: urgent supply by year’s end
U.S. Pharmaceutical Innovio has been working on the development of DNA vaccines since its inception in the 1980s.
DNA vaccines are developed in the same way as RNA vaccines.
■ Other
The synthetic drug “chloroquine” is also effective against the new coronavirus.
The synthetic drug “chloroquine” is developed based on the structure of quinine, which is effective against malaria.
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