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This is the first vaccine candidate that I'm actually excited about: using an adenovirus to trigger an immune response to the spike protein is fantastic; it dramatically lowers the risk of an out-of-control immune response (for example, to deactivated COVID-19-based therapy).
I do share the author's concerns about the need for further study, whoever. We know so little about what antibodies to the spike proteins actually DO when a person is exposed to COVID-19 again. But the fact that we can safely generate these antibodies is a HUGE step forward.
The fact that this vaccine candidate uses a cultured adenovirus is also FANTASTIC news as regards manufacturing. If this vaccine candidate proves to be effective then we should have little trouble cranking this out.
If all goes well, this vaccine candidate would enable us to cover the 20% most vulnerable individuals worldwide by this time next year. We could have this virus on the ropes globally by mid 2022.
This is absolutely unprecedented work. Kudos to the research team.
This is absolutely unprecedented work. Kudos to the research team.
The usual caveats apply: less than 10% of vaccine candidates ever make it past all three stages of clinical trials, and despite my enthusiasm, we have NEVER gotten a vaccine to market anywhere close to as fast as what I describe above.
All of that said, this vaccine candidate provides evidence for HOPE: if everything falls into place than a previously unimaginable timeline might very well be possible. Especially if this is one of the vaccines that Bill Gates is mass producing "just in case it proves out".
Side note: two of the biggest issues regarding vaccines are PRODUCTION and DISSEMINATION. Even once you have a working vaccine, making enough for everyone and then getting it everywhere it needs to go is one heck of a challenge. This is where Gates' contribution becomes vital.
By working to ramp up production - both the creation of facilities AND culturing vaccine candidates even before we know whether or not they'll pass trials - Gates could well be saving millions of lives. Tens of millions.
A vaccine like the one discussed in this thread is "reasonably" easy to manufacture..._for a vaccine_. They are none of them actually particularly easy to make.
But if this (or any other) vaccine emerges from all stages of clinical trials with a green light...
But if this (or any other) vaccine emerges from all stages of clinical trials with a green light...
...and Gates has entire warehouses ready to ship, well...that could cut YEARS off of the time it takes to get the global population vaccinated.
And quite honestly, having these vaccines ready to roll could be the difference between killing it off entirely or not.
And quite honestly, having these vaccines ready to roll could be the difference between killing it off entirely or not.
One of the big problems with viruses is that they can mutate beyond the ability of your vaccine to counter them before you get enough of that vaccine even manufactured, let alone distributed to the global population. That would be VERY BAD for COVID-19. We do not want that.
So...positive news! We're still likely more than a year away from you, me, or anyone reading this thread getting a vaccination...but now there's hope not just of a working vaccine...but of getting it produced and distributed fast enough and widely enough to wipe COVID-19 out.
