A vaccine produced in a bioreactor is further processed in a sterile laminar floor cabinet. The photo is from the National Virus Vector Laboratory at the AI Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland. Credit: UEF / Raija Törrönen
Rokote Laboratories Finland Ltd., a newly established academic spin-out based in Finland, is working on the development and launch of a vaccine against COVID in the market. The vaccine is based on research conducted at the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland.
The vaccine uses gene transfer technology developed at the University of Eastern Finland by the research group of Professor Academy, Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, and the technology has already been used successfully in several clinical trials using gene therapy to treat cardiovascular disease and cancer. treat. The vaccine uses a safe adenovirus carrier that contains a cloned DNA strictly, causing nasopharyngeal cells to produce the viral protein which in turn responds to the vaccine. There is no real EARS-CoV-2 virus in the vaccine. Preliminary results show that the vaccine has performed well in animal studies, and that clinical trials in humans will begin within a few months.
Nasal delivery was chosen as the method of administration of the new vaccine, because the virus is also naturally transmitted through the airways. Indeed, nasal administration appears to elicit a wider immune response than intramuscular administration.
Vaccines that are injected intramuscularly produce IgG antibodies into the bloodstream, but nasal vaccines also produce an IgA response that protects the mucous membranes. We assume that it can also prevent those who received the vaccine from transmitting the virus, ”says Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala, Academy at the University of Eastern Finland.
According to him, the current vaccination programs do not eliminate the need for new vaccines, as new variants are expected to cause new waves of infection.
‘Even if we were to vaccinate the entire population, people in medical risk groups would still need new vaccines against new variants in the coming years. The vaccines currently in use offer a significantly lower level of protection against the South African variant, which is likely to be the dominant virus in the next wave. Our vaccine already takes into account the most important variants, ie the South African, Brazilian and British ones. There will definitely be a demand for this type of vaccine, ‘says professor of virology Kalle Saksela from the University of Helsinki.
The company will conduct the first clinical vaccine trials in Finland. In Kuopio, there is already the commercial technology needed to manufacture the vaccine.
The founders and board members of Rokote Laboratories Finland Ltd. are the vaccine developers Academy Professor Seppo Ylä-Herttuala of the University of Eastern Finland, Professor Kalle Saksela, and Professor Kari Alitalo of the University of Helsinki, and mr. Pasi Kemppainen, MSc (Tegn.). The University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland are also co-founders and shareholders in the company.
According to Mr. Kemppainen is now negotiating funding for the company to ensure vaccine development and clinical trials. Once the vaccine has been granted marketing authorization, it can ensure Finnish and European supply, and the self-care of the vaccine.
‘The vaccine can be manufactured in significant quantities here in Kuopio, and in the long term it can also be licensed outside Europe. The current focus is of course on the COVID vaccine, but the same method can also be used to develop vaccines against other viruses, ‘says Mr. Kemppainen.