Taiwan-Developed DNA Vaccine Could Play Major Role In Controlling COVID-19

New Delhi: Taiwanese Scientists have launched a new DNA COVID-19 vaccine which induced a long-lasting immune response in animal models.

Journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases published a study on Thursday, in which researchers suggest that the newly developed vaccine could play a major role in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

DNA vaccines use the genetic material of a virus to elicit an immune response, much like the mRNA vaccine produced by Moderna and Pfizer.

The most significant part is these vaccines can be produced more quickly, at a lower cost. These vaccines also do not need cold temperatures for transportation, unlike the mRNA vaccines.

The vaccines have been successful in animals, and researchers are working towards developing them.

The researchers of Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes created the DNA vaccine which encodes the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein. The spike protein helps SARS-CoV-2 latch onto the host cell and cause infection.

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