On July 29, 2020, WestVac Biopharma R&D team published the first COVID-19 vaccine research paper in the journal Nature. They used an innovative recombinant protein technology route for R&D. It's China's first recombinant subunit COVID-19 vaccines expressed in insect cells. The S-RBD gene of the COVID-19 is introduced into insect cells through baculovirus vectors, and the cells are used as a "factory" to produce high-quality recombinant proteins which are then refined and purified. This innovative technology can easily be put into use for rapid and large-scale production of vaccines.
In August 2020, clinical trial was officially approved for the Recombinant Protein COVID-19 Vaccine (Sf9 Cell) . Phase I/II clinical trials have been completed in June 2021, showing good immunogenicity. The Phase III clinical trials have been successfully carried out in Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, Kenya, etc. In August 2021, WestVac Biopharma and Nagasaki University in Japan jointly carried out an early clinical trial of the recombinant protein COVID-19 vaccine. This is the first Chinese COVID-19 vaccine clinically tested in Japan, attracting attention from media like China's CCTV, Japan's NHK and others, with enthusiastic responses from all walks of life. In addition, WestVac Biopharma is also accelerating the development of the second-generation COVID-19 vaccine for new variants, racing against time!
In response to emerging mutations, Westvac is accelerating the R&D of a new generation of COVID-19 vaccines and small molecule oral drug targeting the Delta and Omicron strains. On the strength of the mature insect cell expression platform, a new generation of COVID-19 vaccine containing protein subunit antigen that can self-assemble into a stable trimer has been designed based on precise structure. The process study and large-scale preparation of vaccine antigen stock have been completed, and the production process is stable. Besides, oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant (MF59-like adjuvant) is used for the new generation of COVID-19 vaccine, which can stimulate great body immune response, has no potential systemic toxicity, and shows better safety.
In addition to the above-mentioned COVID-19 vaccine, WestVac Biopharma will also endeavor itself to help build a global immune barrier by developing and producing more innovative vaccines from its five major technology platforms in the future, which include insect cell expression system, mRNA vaccine platform, tumor vaccine platform, novel adjuvant platform and novel immunotherapy platform.
