The COVID-19 pandemic spurred rapid advancements in the biopharmaceutical sector, particularly in vaccine technology. Previous outbreaks laid groundwork, but COVID-19 accelerated innovation, notably with mRNA vaccines. Lessons learned include the need for robust vaccine production capacity and improved preparedness. Beyond COVID-19, these innovations hold promise for combating various diseases like cancer. Protein-subunit vaccines and glycoconjugate vaccine processing offer alternative approaches. CEPI aims for faster vaccine development, focusing on thermostability and alternative delivery methods. The pandemic catalyzed numerous developments poised to reshape the industry's future.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significance of vaccines, saving millions of lives. Innovations in clinical trials, like surrogate endpoints, accelerated vaccine development. mRNA technology emerged as a game changer, prompting investment for further enhancement. CEPI is exploring next-gen mRNA vaccines and rapid-response platforms like ChAdOx. Coverage extension and manufacturing capacity improvement are ongoing pursuits. Overall, the pandemic spurred vaccine innovation and global collaboration.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) identifies breast cancer as the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States
(1).
About 13% of American women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lives, and 310,720 patients are expected to receive new diagnoses in 2024. Mortality rates have decreased steadily since the late 1980s as screening methods have improved and become more accessible. When tumors are detected early, patients’ five-year survival rate is 99%. But if tumors have spread to lymph nodes and other nearby tissues, that rate decreases to 85%. Prognoses become much less optimistic in cases of metastatic disease (when tumors have spread to distant organs), with five-year survival rates falling to 27%. Considering the prevalence of breast cancer and the difficulty of treating advanced cases, patients still have significant need for effective treatments.
Therapeutic vaccines could provide hope for many patients with advanced breast cancer and other solid-tumor ...
SK bioscience, a Korean firm, emerged as a key vaccine developer, notably during COVID-19. Spun off in 2018, it partnered with AstraZeneca for COVID-19 vaccine production and developed the SKYCovione vaccine. The company expanded its portfolio to include vaccines for pneumococcal infections, Ebola, and typhoid. Yong Wook Park, SK's VP of biological R&D, highlighted their diverse vaccine lineup, emphasizing the importance of protein-subunit vaccines due to their proven safety and cost-effective distribution. Manufacturing involves various hosts and purification methods, with scalability crucial for global demand. Adjuvants enhance immune responses, reducing antigen doses. Challenges include meeting regulations while ensuring yield and speed. SK aims to respond swiftly to future outbreaks, leveraging its platform technologies. This summary underscores SK bioscience's vital role in vaccine development, emphasizing protein-subunit vaccines alongside mRNA options.
The success of glycoconjugate vaccines in combatting diseases like Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis is notable, thanks to their efficacy and stability. Recent advancements leverage bacterial technologies to decrease production costs. However, challenges persist in understanding manufacturing processes, particularly sterile filtration. Research at Penn State delves into this, revealing insights into fouling mechanisms and the complexities of multivalent vaccine production. These findings inform future strategies for industrial-scale vaccine manufacturing, underscoring the importance of continued research in this critical area.
