R&D

Vaccines effective against most SARS-CoV-2 variants

Two of the commonly used coronavirus vaccines provide protection against multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, including the highly infectious Delta variant, a new Yale study has found.

The findings, published Oct. 11 in the journal Nature, also show at those infected with the virus prior to vaccination exhibit a more robust immune response to all variants than those who were uninfected and fully vaccinated.

Scientists discover a highly potent antibody against SARS-CoV-2

The newly identified antibody was isolated using lymphocytes from COVID-19 patients enrolled in the ImmunoCoV study being carried out by CHUV’s Service of Immunology and Allergy. This antibody is one of the most powerful identified so far against SARS-CoV-2. Structural characterization of the antibody indicates that it binds to an area that is not subjected to mutations of the spike protein.

mRNA COVID vaccines highly effective at preventing symptomatic infection in health workers

COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing symptomatic illness among health care workers in real-world settings.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that health care personnel who received a two-dose regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had an 89% lower risk for symptomatic illness than those who were unvaccinated.

New drug combination effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection

More countries with greater resources are opening up for a more normal life. But COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus are still a significant threat in large parts of the world.

The lack of medicines that are effective, easy to distribute and easy to obtain are a significant part of the problem.

Discovery of mechanics of drug targets for COVID-19

A team of international researchers, including McGill Professor Stéphane Laporte, have discovered the working mechanism of potential drug targets for various diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and even COVID-19. The findings published in Molecular Cell uncover the inner workings of cell receptors that are involved in cancer progression and inflammatory diseases.

Therapy using dual immune system cells effectively controls neuroblastoma

A newly developed immunotherapy that simultaneously uses modified immune-fighting cells to home in on and attack two antigens, or foreign substances, on cancer cells was highly effective in mice implanted with human neuroblastoma tissue, report researchers from the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the UNC School of Medicine.

COVID-19 nasal vaccine candidate effective at preventing disease transmission

Breathe in, breathe out. That’s how easy it is for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to enter your nose. And though remarkable progress has been made in developing intramuscular vaccines against SARS-CoV- 2, such as the readily available Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, nothing yet - like a nasal vaccine - has been approved to provide mucosal immunity in the nose, the first barrier against the virus before it travels down to the lungs.

Research & Development

Vaccines effective against most SARS-CoV-2 variants

Scientists discover a highly potent antibody against SARS-CoV-2

mRNA COVID vaccines highly effective at preventing symptomatic infection in health workers

New drug combination effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection

Discovery of mechanics of drug targets for COVID-19

Therapy using dual immune system cells effectively controls neuroblastoma

COVID-19 nasal vaccine candidate effective at preventing disease transmission

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