Covid-19: Vaccinologist Harps On Second Generation Vaccines With More Durable Immunity

With the proven cases of people who were vaccinated against Covid-19 getting infected, a virologist and vaccinologist, Dr Simon Agwale, weekend, said the limitations of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines point towards the need for second-generation vaccines which would induce ‘more broadly protective and more durable immunity’.

Agwale, who is the chief executive of Innovative Biotech Limited, Keffi, Nasarawa State, and Innovative Biotech, USA, said his company was already focusing on using a virus-like-particle (VLP) vaccine platform to mix several vaccines from the different variants together.

He told our correspondent that, “This is in addition to the fact that we are able to express other proteins of the virus and not just the ‘Spike’ protein which is what is currently obtainable.

“We believe with this strategy, and the fact that we just signed an agreement with Merck KGaA, Germany, to establish a domestic vaccine manufacturing facility in Nigeria, we’ll be able to defeat the virus.”

He called for more awareness towards mass vaccination across Africa, adding that the current vaccines against the pandemic are building immunity against it.

Quoting him, “Just about the time the vaccines are becoming available in Africa, we are now hit with the reality of first generation Covid-19 vaccines.

“It is now clear from various studies that the protective efficacy of the currently available Covid-19 vaccines wanes over time and also vaccinated people can be reinfected because they are unable to prevent breakthrough infections.

“This therefore allows transmission to other people. Preliminary data however showed that these first-generation vaccines still retain their ability to prevent severe and fatal disease.”