Sky News : reported that Scientists develop plant-based Zika virus vaccine

A new and improved vaccine for the Zika virus has been developed after an epidemic swept across the Americas in 2015. Image: Twins born with microcephaly in Areia, BrazilNow, researchers from Arizona State University (ASU) in the US have developed the world's first plant-based Zika vaccine. His Zika vaccine targets a key protein which envelopes the outside of the virus. Dr Chen's team performed immunisation experiments on mice and found a 100% success rate in inducing antibody and cellular immune response to protect against multiple Zika virus strains. Zika is associated with a birth defect called microcephaly when contracted by pregnant women.

ASU Biodesign scientists develop improved, potentially safer Zika vaccine

ASU Biodesign Institute scientist Qiang "Shawn" Chen has led his research team to develop the world's first plant-based Zika vaccine that could be more potent, safer and cheaper to produce than any other efforts to date. "We are very excited about these results."Rapid response networkSeveral potential Zika vaccines have had promising results in early animal and human tests. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first human testing of a Zika vaccine candidate, and this summer, a $100 million U.S. government-led clinical trial is underway. They first grew the envelope protein in bacteria, then switched to prepare the DIII protein domain in tobacco plants. For the second research group, they used the complete Zika envelope protein for their vaccine.

ASU researcher says he's developed tobacco-based Zika virus vaccine

LISTEN: ASU researcher says he's developed tobacco-based Zika virus vaccine Your browser does not support the audio element. PHOENIX — A researcher at Arizona State University said Thursday that he has developed a tobacco plant-based vaccine for Zika virus. "I use a small part of DNA from the Zika protein [then] I put that DNA into tobacco plants," he said. Chen said the tobacco-based vaccine has benefits over traditional vaccines. Chen said he chose to develop the vaccine in tobacco plants because it is simple to direct foreign proteins into them.


collected by :Lucy William

To follow all the new news about Health care