https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/04/15/coronavirus-vaccine-prospects
GSK (bringing the spike protein) and Sanofi (bringing the adjuvant) are going to collaborate on vaccine development. Johnson and Johnson have a stricter timeline planning first-in-human trials in September, while Pfizer with BioNTech is possibly starting human trials in August. The NRDD counts around 78 real vaccine programs, with a diversity of approaches. There are many types of vaccines: “live attenuated virus” makes a strain goes through a long path to mutating back to virulence; inactivated virus types is done through denaturing disinfectants; a particular protein, protein fragment or subunit piece of a pathogen provokes a strong immune response or glycoprotein or a piece of polysaccharide can be used; DNA vaccine uses a circular DNA plasmid coding for some antigen protein; mRNA vaccine idea has been worked on and is similar to the DNA vaccine idea which has some potential advantages over DNA, but also uncertainties to its efficacy. Another key vaccination technique is adjuvants. Various additives are used to provoke a robust, long-lasting immune response. There are many questions concerning the efficacy as of now– how many antibodies would develop and are they able to neutralize the virus? Right now, there is no way to answer how long immunity lasts. Another concern is safety but person-to-person variation in everyone’s immune system can never be ruled out, and there is a bind because vaccines are meant to treat people who are not currently sick. All of the different types of vaccines will require different production methods and formulations. It is predicted that we will get vaccine efficacy, even though it won’t be as straightforward as normal. There may be cut corners with safety and there is a concern for producing the vaccine on a scale. “…we’re going to try to run across [the tightrope].”