There are currently over 150 vaccines in the works around the world with eight in the Phase 3 stage. So far only one vaccine has been approved, the Sputnik V, which was approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. However, experts believe the vaccine may be unsafe and ineffective considering it skipped Phase 3 clinical trials.
What if you could mix up your very own vaccine against coronavirus, at home and administer it safely without the use of any sharp needles? Well, look no further. It seems the group of scientists at Radvac (Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative) may have done just that by creating a DIY vaccine that can be easily administered via a nasal spray.
But, here’s the catch. The vaccine is not FDA approved and nor has it undergone any testing unless you count the 20 volunteers who decided to become lab rats for the experimental vaccine.
Preston Estep, the designer of the DIY vaccine, began working on the project in March. Estep and his group of volunteers researched reports of vaccines against SARS and MERS. According to him, they had one goal in mind, to come up with a simple formula using readily available materials.
Using borrowed labs and inexpensive materials the team created a “subunit” vaccine that consisted of fragments of the virus’ proteins, called peptides, used to elicit an immune response. To administer the nasal vaccine the peptides were then mixed with chitosan, a substance found in shrimp shells, to coat the peptide in a nanoparticle and help it cross the mucous membrane.
Source: MIT Technology Review
While nasal vaccines are definitely easier to administer, they provide mucosal immunity which cannot be checked via a simple blood test that detects antibodies. Instead, a biopsy of the respiratory tract might be required to detect any signs of immunity.
We have delivered material to 70 people. They have to mix it themselves, but we haven’t had a full reporting on how many have taken it.
Preston Estep
When asked whether they should worry about a crackdown by the FDA, Estep said “If you are just making it and taking it yourself, the FDA can’t stop you.”
However, the lack of testing has brought it under a lot of scrutiny by researchers around the world. Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at New York University Langone Medical Center, called Radvac as “off-the-charts loony.” George Siber, the former head of vaccines at Wyeth, believes that subunit vaccines often don’t produce a significant immune response and the nasal vaccine might be ineffective.
So far Estep and his group have been unable to provide evidence of whether their vaccine leads to the production of antibodies or not. Research is currently underway to test the efficacy of the vaccine.
Reference:
Regalado, A. (2020, July 30). Some scientists are taking a DIY coronavirus vaccine, and nobody knows if it’s legal or if it works. Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/07/29/1005720/george-church-diy-coronavirus-vaccine/
