Argentinian company develops mRNA bird flu vaccine
Published: Monday, Jul 29th 2024, 17:40
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a project in Argentina to develop a vaccine against avian flu in poorer countries. The aim is to develop a vaccine against the H5N1 virus based on mRNA technology, which helped to develop vaccines in record time during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Argentinian manufacturer Sinergium Biotech already has a vaccine candidate that is now to be further developed with the support of the WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) organization. The company wants to prove the efficacy of its vaccine candidate in preclinical models.
The aim of MPP is to provide people in low- and middle-income countries with access to high-quality and affordable medicines. Three years ago, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the WHO and MPP developed an mRNA transfer program to promote research capacities in low- and middle-income countries.
Pandemic risk due to bird flu virus
"Avian influenza viruses pose a significant risk to public health because they are widespread among animals and have the potential to cause a pandemic," the WHO said.
The H5N1 virus has spread worldwide. Wild and farm animals are affected, including recently cows. To date, most infected humans have been in close contact with animals. According to current knowledge, there is no ongoing human-to-human transmission. However, the concern is that the virus continues to change and adapt in mammals.
According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), several cases of "highly pathogenic avian influenza" (HPAI) have been reported in domestic and wild birds in Switzerland. The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) declared the whole of Switzerland a control area with increased safety requirements as early as 2022. Until recently, there had been no laboratory-confirmed case of H5N1 in humans in Switzerland.
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