UFMG-developed vaccine must be used annually, science minister says | Brazil

UFMG-developed vaccine must be used annually, science minister says |  Brazil

About R$ 50 million should be invested in the development of the immunization factorPhoto: Romulo Espindola

Posted on 01/08/2021 6:24 PM

RIO – The Brazilian SpiNTec vaccine, developed by CTVacinas of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), can be used in the annual vaccination against COVID-19. The information was presented on Sunday by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes, during a press conference. According to Pontes, R$50 million must be invested in order to become a “Brazilian Oxford” fortification factor.

“We have developed a partnership between the ministry and UFMG to develop the National Vaccine Center. We will provide 50 million Brazilian reals so that we can have a Brazilian Oxford variety,” the minister said.

“I would like to congratulate everyone for the wonderful work they are doing in various fields, with regard to vaccines, under the supervision of several high-quality professional coordinators. Today we are going to talk about these vaccines, but we have other results as citizen detector tests and a diagnostic toolkit,” he completed.

On Saturday, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) said it had received a request for Phase 1 and 2 studies by SpiNTec. The analysis will take into account, in accordance with Anvisa procedures, the study proposal, number of participants and safety data obtained to date in preclinical studies conducted in vitro and on animals. CTVacinas is UFMG’s Biotechnology Research Center.

In an interview this Sunday, 1 with university representatives, Pontes said his portfolio’s work is in line with that of the Department of Health. According to him, SpiNTec can be used in annual campaigns, as well as other national vaccines that will appear.

What is known about the immunizing agent

During the press conference, ministry technicians and UFMG researchers detailed SpiNTec. The vaccine uses a recombinant protein strategy, which consists in determining the sequence of protein production information within the new coronavirus genome. These sequences are inserted into the bacteria which in turn begin to produce the proteins that will be used in formulating the vaccine.

Because the vaccine uses recombinant protein technology, its final cost is expected to be lower than that of other immunizing agents already on the market.

Of the tests that have already been conducted, the vaccine has succeeded in animals. The researchers now hope, with Anfisa’s approval, to test it in humans.

The researchers expected SpiNTec to be applied in two doses – like most vaccines already authorized in the country – at 21-day intervals. In preclinical trials, tests have been conducted on at least one of the variants of the novel coronavirus and the Brazilian immunization agent has been shown to be effective.

* With information from Estadao . content

By Andrea Hargraves

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