Coronavirus

#ChemVsCOVID: How did past research help COVID-19 vaccine efforts?

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On this day in 2020, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine entered phase 1 trials, making it the first COVID vaccine to do so. This came less than a week after the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. How was it possible for this to happen so quickly? The third part of the #ChemVsCOVID series, produced with the Royal Society of Chemistry, gives a brief overview of the prior work and what the phase 1 trials looked at.

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#ChemVsCOVID: Highlighting how science has helped fight COVID-19

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A year and a day ago, the genetic sequence of the virus that has since spread across the world was shared. Though we were yet to appreciate the effect that the virus would come to have on our lives, this was already the moment at which science started to fight back. In this new series of graphics, made with the Royal Society of Chemistry, we’ll be highlighting the key scientific milestones that have brought us treatments, vaccines, and more.

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How does the Oxford & AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine work? A guide to viral vector vaccines

Infographic on viral vector vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 virus contains a gene which codes for the virus spike protein. In viral vector vaccines, this gene is added to the genetic material of another virus, making it a viral vector. This vector is altered so it can't cause disease. Once the viral vector is inside our cells it produces the virus spike protein, triggering an immune response. These vaccines can be produced relatively quickly. The genetic instructions for making the spike protein are broken down in our cells after use. Viral vector vaccines cause a strong immune response which can mean minor side effects are more common. Different viruses can be used as viral vectors; the AstraZeneca vaccine uses a chimp adenovirus, while some others use a human adenovirus. Some people may have immunity to human adenoviruses, potentially reducing vaccine effectiveness.
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Relatively hot on the heels of the Pfizer & BioNTech RNA vaccine, today the UK has approved the Oxford University & AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The Oxford vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, which works slightly differently to the RNA vaccines. This graphic, made with the Royal Society of Chemistry, looks at how they work and highlights other vaccines of this type in use or development for COVID-19.

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What are the COVID-19 RNA vaccines and how do they work?

Infographic on RNA vaccines. The genetic code of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is made up of RNA. Scientists have isolated the part of this code that contains the instructions for making the virus's spike protein, and this is what is used in RNA vaccines. The synthetic RNA is packed inside lipid nanoparticles to protect it from being broken down by our bodies' enzymes. Our cells follow the RNA instructions to produce the virus spike protein, which then triggers an immune response. RNA is easily made in a lab so these vaccines are quick to develop. The RNA is broken down by normal processes in our cells, so can't cause infection. Some RNA vaccines must be stored at low temperature to keep them stable. There are two different types of RNA vaccine: mRNA vaccines and saRNA vaccines. The structures of mRNA and saRNA vaccines are similar but saRNA can produce copies of itself once it's inside a cell, so can be given in smaller doses. The main RNA vaccines currently approved, Pfizer and Moderna, are both mRNA vaccines.
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By now, we’re all familiar with the image of coronavirus. The spikey blob peppers news websites, looms behind reporters during bulletins and frequently punctuates your Twitter doom-scrolling. More recently, the news accompanying this image has taken a positive turn, with promising results from the COVID-19 vaccine trials. It’s the iconic spikes of the coronavirus spikey blob that are a key part of how these vaccines work.

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