The course of the corona pandemic will strongly depend on how quickly medications or vaccines against the SARS co-virus 2 can be developed.
In recent studies, researchers found that a vaccine VPM1002 originally developed against tuberculosis may be effective against infection with SARS-CoV-2.
The research was conducted by a team at the Max Planck Institute.
VPM1002 is based on a vaccine called BCG, which was developed at the beginning of the 20th century.
Studies on mice show that the BCG vaccine can protect not only against tuberculosis but also against viral infections of the respiratory tract.
Accordingly, mice suffering from influenza have fewer influenza A viruses in their blood if they had previously been vaccinated with BCG. The animals thus showed less damage to the lungs.
According to further studies, vaccination with BCG also increases the animals’ resistance to other viruses (e.g. herpes type 1 and 2).
Apparently, vaccination with BCG also activates the immune system against viral infection. In this way, the vaccine reduces the risk of severe disease progression and thus lowers the death rate.
VPM1002 contains weakened tuberculosis-like bacteria. These are genetically modified in such a way that immune cells can better recognize them.
The vaccine candidate thus provides more effective protection against tuberculosis than the old vaccine and is intended for use in newborns as well as for boosting a vaccination in adults.
Recent studies have shown that VPM1002 can also be effective against cancer and prevent the recurrence of bladder tumors.
Scientists have tested this further development of the BCG vaccine in a series of studies in mice as well as in several clinical trials.
In 2018, a Phase II study confirmed that VPM1002 is well tolerated by newborns and is effective. The vaccine is currently being tested in a further Phase III study on adult volunteers in India. It should be completed by mid-2020.
The higher safety profile of VPM1002 and the improved effectiveness give reason to hope that the new vaccine will also be better able to alleviate the symptoms of an infection with the SARS co-virus 2 than the BCG vaccine.
In addition, VPM1002 can be manufactured using state-of-the-art manufacturing methods which would make millions of doses available in a very short time.
A study is to be carried out at several hospitals in Germany and will include older people and health care workers. Both groups are particularly at risk of the disease.
VPM1002 could thus help bridge the time until a vaccine specifically effective against SARS co-virus 2 is available.
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