US Patent and Trademark Office Awards COVID-19 Vaccine Design to Israeli Research Team-Breaking Israel News

While she was in labor, one of them dabbled, and the midwife tied a red thread in her hand. This is the first thing that came out. Genesis 38:28, Israel Bible

Doctor, nurse, scientist, researcher, blue glove holding influenza, measles, coronavirus, covid-19 vaccine disease, vaccination shot of human clinical trial, medicine and drug concept Prepare (Courtesy of Shutterstock)

Scientists around the world are racing to first produce a vaccine against the devastating COVID-19 virus that threatens everyone and has already killed more than 165,000 people worldwide.

Israeli researchers are one of the leaders in this effort. Currently US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Patented an innovative vaccine design for the Corona family of viruses to Professor Jonathan Gersoni of the Department of Life Sciences, George S. Wise at Tel Aviv University.

The patent developed by Gersoni et al. In the Faculty of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology covers a vaccine that targets the most vulnerable part of the coronavirus structure that invades human cells. Targets the new coronavirus Achilles tendon, the weakest spot. The receptor binding motif (RBM) is an important structure that allows the virus to bind and infect target cells.

Developed within a year to 18 months, this vaccine reconstitutes the coronavirus RBM, a minor feature of the “spike” protein. Viruses use many different proteins to replicate and enter cells, but “spike” proteins are the major surface proteins used to bind to receptors. It is another protein that acts like a doorway to human cells. When the spike protein binds to the human cell receptor, the viral membrane fuses with the human cell membrane, allowing the viral genome to enter the human cell and initiate infection.

“We have been working on coronaviruses for the past 15 years and have developed a method to reconstitute and reconstitute the RBM function of spike proteins with SARS CoV and then MERS CoV,” Gershoni explained. “At the moment the genome of the new virus was published in early January 2020, we started the process of rebuilding the RBM of SARS CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. We plan to reconstruct the RBM of the new virus. This is the basis for a new vaccine that can be used within a year to a year and a half. “

The spike protein is very large and contains about 1,200 amino acids. Some researchers have limited their research to a region of spikes known as the receptor binding domain (RBD), which contains about 200 amino acids. However, the problem is that there are different targets in these relatively large areas, and the immune system indiscriminately produces antibodies to all of them, reducing the potential effectiveness of the vaccine.

An extremely complex 3D structure, RBM is only 50 amino acids long. Although it is very difficult to functionally reconstruct such a structure, it would be a very effective basis for vaccines, Garsoni noted.

“The smaller the target and attack focus, the more effective the vaccine will be,” he added. “While viruses take extensive steps to hide RBM from the human immune system, the best way to” win the war “is to develop a vaccine that specifically targets the virus’ RBM. is. “

Gershoni’s team has completed the first steps towards rebuilding the new SARS CoV2 RBM. The reconstitution of the new SARS CoV2 RBM and its use as a basis for the new vaccine is covered in an additional pending patent application filed by the University Technology Transfer Division, Lamot, with the USPTO.

“Once we have a serum sample, we should be able to isolate RBM-based vaccine candidates in the next month or two months,” concludes Gershoni. “The discovery and production of a new functional RBM of coronavirus is fundamental and important for the production of the vaccine we propose.

“The successful isolation and reconstitution of such a functional RBM will enable the industry to incorporate it into vaccines manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. It should take months, need to be tested in Phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials, and then up to a year. ”