While the third wave of Covid-19 is withdrawing from Argentina, several groups of local researchers are accelerating work in their laboratories seeking to conclude four new preventive options. To such an extent are directed these developments that, a couple of weeks ago Daniel Filmus, minister of science, stated: “before the end of the year Argentina will be able to count on its own vaccine”.
Although the dates may be extended a little – something usual in pharmaceutical research – the truth is that at this time in Argentina there are half a dozen anti-Covid vaccine projects, driven by top-level experts, Conicet researchers and/or professors from prestigious universities such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, La Plata and San Martín, among others. In four of these the national state is involved to such an extent that, until now, allocated subsidies for $247 million. And it plans future disbursements of a similar magnitude to continue oiling the race towards a vaccine developed and manufactured in Argentina.
What is the idea behind this investment when there seem to be no more pressing needs and the flow of suppliers from England, the US, China and Russia seems to have normalized with no shortages or delays in delivery?
“During 2021, a triple strategy: buy those that were available in the international market; advancing in technology to fractionate or produce components of vaccines developed in Oxford and at the Gamaleya Institute and -the current stage- where we bet on vaccines designed here, with links to local manufacturing under quality standards and also with proper regulatory approval,” he explained to NEWS Fernando Peirano, president of the Agency Research Promotion. And he added: “The idea is not to depend on external suppliers. In addition, if we achieve this scientific and industrial capacity in different biotechnological platforms, we will be able to supply ourselves but also add export capacity”. This proposal is contextualized by Dr. Guillermo Docena, one of the coordinators of the Argentine initiatives: “there are more than 200 countries in the world, but only 10 produce vaccines.”
Another protagonist of this movement, Laura Toledo, director of the Fonarseca body that depends on the Agency and that evaluated the proposals that would later receive the subsidies, he explained: “Having local production ensures that we save foreign currency from imports.” And the figures at stake are not minor since industry sources calculate that Argentina has invested some US$ 1,000 million in the purchase and importation of vaccines.
“The idea is to stop depending on external suppliers and also achieve the ability to export vaccines”
On the other hand, having local capacity also facilitates settings against any new regional strains that may evolve from SARS-CoV-2. “That will also make it easier to offer them on the international market,” Toledo explained to NEWS. Finally another benefit will be take advantage of this know-how to manufacture other vaccines on the schedule. According to Peirano, mastering these platforms will eventually allow a better response when it comes to preventing other pathologies: from influenza to dengue, Zika or yellow fever, for example.
The vaccines supported by the state are four.
*Arvac-Cecilia Grierson. Conceived by the group led by Dr. juliana cassataro at the University of San Martín, in a public-private partnership with the Cassara laboratory. This project is based on the use of recombinant proteins, a technology that is already used in immunization against Hepatitis B and HPV. Due to its safety characteristics, it could be applied to babies and children, pregnant women and immunosuppressed people. The vaccines on this platform are very stable and little dependent on the cold chain, which will facilitate their production and distribution and make them relatively inexpensive. According to UNSAM sources, their project is already well advanced and only a handful of weeks away from obtaining the authorization from Anmat that will enable them to start the crucial Phase I tests with trials on people.
*Argenvac. Under the baton of the researcher William Dozen brings together experts from the University of La Plata, Conicet, UBA, INTI and the Sinergium laboratory, among others. The technology chosen is protein subunits: “we use a “bit” of SARS-CoV-2 proteins that we encapsulate in a nanotechnological structure. This nanoparticle facilitates entry into cells and -in addition- has adjuvant actions, “explained Docena. “In other words, it manages to strongly activate the immune system.” The development is intended for its application in intranasal format (mucosal vaccine) from a spray. If it turns out, that will mean that it will not be necessary to go to a vaccination center to receive it and its conservation requirements will be simple. On the other hand, by interacting with the immune system in the mucous membranes, experts hope that it will generate a “sterilizing immunity”, that is, resist the virus as it enters the host, which would favor protection against contagion.
* CoroVaxG.3 – Leloir Institute. Under the baton of the renowned researcher Osvaldo Podhajcer, in conjunction with the Vaxinz laboratory. This expert explained to NEWS that “our development is based on a non-replicative adenovirus platform, which makes it harmless. It has similarities to the AstraZeneca, CanSino and Gamaleya vaccines and also some differences. We chose to develop a hybrid adenoviral vector and we have already demonstrated in the laboratory that it is very powerful when it comes to generating immunity against coronavirus variants”. In addition, they hope to generate adequate protection after a single dose. This group is also in advanced negotiations with Anmat to start a type I/IIa testing phase. This implies testing and monitoring, in this phase, more than 150 people. And -according to their calculations- they hope to have positive results with their vaccine candidate before the end of the year. Experts from mAbxcience and Sinergium Biotech also participate in the work, who will be responsible for the final pharmaceutical formulation and future industrial production. In the future they also plan to advance with an inhalable version that will act on the mucous membranes and will protect even more effectively against contagion and also with a “pancorona” version that protects against future strains.
*Trimeric protein “S” – UNLP. Led by two researchers from the UNLP, Daniela Hozbor and Daniela Bottero, this project brings together a consortium of public institutions that works to develop a platform of subunits named trimeric protein S. His project is in an advanced preclinical phase with tests on laboratory animals. According to Hozbor, “the platform we chose uses the entire trimeric glycosylated Spike protein from different variants of SARS-CoV-2 expressed in mammalian cells, plus an adjuvant (enhancer) already approved by Anmat.” Both hope that their vaccine candidate will generate a robust humoral response (the famous neutralizing antibodies) but also a significant cellular responsesomething important to protect in the long term. Their vaccine requires two doses and they anticipate that it will be inexpensive to produce and very stable. This avoids the need for a complex preservation system and facilitates storage and distribution.
In short, one -or several- of these projects may allow Argentina to be sovereign in terms of vaccines against Covid, which, according to all the experts, ensures a better and faster response against future viral assaults.
Future / Technology mRNA
Several months ago the WHO promised to facilitate the technology transfer of the brand new vaccines mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) to be manufactured in other countries. While the focus of that initiative moved first with scientists from Africa, local experts revealed that they were already investigated about the feasibility of take part in the transfers of these biotechnologies. For its part, the government also came out to support the idea: “We are seeing how to promote initiatives that have to do with the development of the new mRNA platform because it promises a large number of medical applications. Not only in Covid, but for HIV, dengue, canceretc.”, advanced Peirano to NEWS.
For her part, Minister Carla Vizzotti met with the director of the WHO and remarked that the Argentine biopharmaceutical company Sinergium Biotech was selected by the WHO as a center for the development and production of messenger RNA vaccines against Covid-19 for the region. Vizzotti announced that for the transfer, the WHO and South Korea will establish a global training center for low- and middle-income countries that wish to produce vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and recombinant biotherapeutics.
