Genetic Vaccines Against SARS-CoV-2 and Its Variants

To date, over millions COVID-19 cases and millions deaths, from the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), have been reported around the world, including Thailand, to WHO.

Viruses, like SARS-CoV-2, change over time and will continue to change the more they circulate. Some changes may affect the virus’s properties, such as how easily it spreads, the associated disease severity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures. During late 2020, the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health prompted the characterisation of specific Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs), in order to prioritise global monitoring and research, and ultimately to inform the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic of new COVID-19 has led to the race in the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines through international collaborations among academics, research institutes and private sectors.

BioNet’s vision is to establish strong partnering networks to share vaccine expertise and enable access to life-saving vaccines anywhere in the world. BioNet has been developing genetic vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its variant strains using nucleic acid technology platforms. COVIgen is a COVID-19 DNA vaccine being evaluated in human trials in Australia.

BioNet also jointly developed the manufacturing process of Chulacov-19 mRNA vaccine for clinical use.

Most recently, BioNet was awarded a global innovative project in partnership with CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), IVI (International Vaccine Institute) and several universities, to rapidly advance the development of a pan coronavirus multiple mRNA vaccine against several types of coronaviruses.