‘Dr. Anan’ reveals that he will make a vaccine specific to ‘smallpox’ by cultivating the virus in chicken cells. Do we need to waste 11 years, because no research team has done it yet? It’s not in the reach of technology. but the value of the research
3 Aug. 2022- Dr. Anan Chongkaewwatana, virologist Director of Animal Health and Management Innovation Research Group National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotech), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) posted a message via Facebook that
In the past, when science was not as advanced as today. Scientists created a smallpox vaccine using a virus that closely resembles human smallpox, Vaccinia, which can still infect humans and cause less severe disease. The way the virus became a vaccine was culture in chicken cells It is believed that the virus will change its aggressive properties into a more docile virus and eventually cause no disease in humans. with great patience The virus was repeatedly cultured in chicken cells for 572 cycles (Emphasize that 572 cycles would take 5-7 days, which can take 4000 days, or almost 11 years) until the vaccinia was obtained. The desired property is that the number cannot be multiplied in the human cell. but can be added to chicken cells instead The virus was later sold to the Bavarian Nordic Company, where it was raised and developed. It has become a vaccine called MVA-BN or IMVAMUNE that is in high demand today.
Virus data after 572 chicken cell cultures revealed many changes in the viral genetic material. There are several missing positions. But the virus still has good properties as a vaccine. Because proteins that are essential for building immunity are also complete. The genetic code of the virus can be obtained through non-secret information.
The question is, if today we are going to make a vaccine specific to monkeypox using the above method? Do we need to waste 11 years? Today, research can synthesize base sequences as needed in days or weeks and on the shape of the viral genetic material. Today we have the complete genetic code for the monkey pox virus. We know which genes of MVA-BN naturally altered until the virus became docile. This is clearly just the prototype. This is enough to allow researchers to synthesize bases that match that information and create a specific monkeypox prototype vaccine. without needing to take years like in the past
Today, there is no research team doing it or any company investing in it. The important point is not that the technology is not in reach. but the value of the research Many questions remain unclearly answered. Why make a new monkeypox vaccine if the human chickenpox vaccine prevents it? Why risk creating a new virus when you’re not sure if it’s changed and will become tame like MVA-BN and how to test it? How confident is the safety, who will dare to use it?
…Today we don’t have a smallpox vaccine if these questions have not been answered or no one dared to invest in it.