The Butantan Institute released this Thursday (3) the first results of a single vaccine against Covid-19 and the flu. In the animal testing phase, the vaccine candidate had “very promising results” by inducing the formation of antibodies reacting to the three strains of the influenza virus (H1N1, H3N2 and B) and to the new coronavirus.
According to Butantan, human trials can start in up to a year. The immunizer has two formulations: that of Butanvac, a vaccine being developed by Butantan against Covid-19, and that of the influenza vaccine, which is already produced by the laboratory to supply the National Immunization Program (PNI).
“The first results are very promising. It works for the production of antibodies against influenza and for the production of antibodies against Covid-19”, said the director of Production at Butantan, Ricardo Oliveira, in a statement.
The initial studies are in a stage called proof of concept, when the results of analyzes performed on non-human samples are collected. According to Oliveira, the clinical trials, which consider the participation of volunteers, can start in up to a year.
The forecast considers the development of Butanvac, which began human trials exactly one year after the conclusion of the proof-of-concept stage.
“What makes the process easier is that we are mixing products well known by Butantan: the influenza vaccine, which we have known for many years, and Butanvac, which, despite being recent, uses the same platform as influenza”, explains Oliveira.
Immune response
The researcher at the BioIndustrial Center of Butantan, Paulo Lee Ho, says that the combined vaccine showed signs of a more robust and lasting immune response than current vaccines. According to him, the positive results may be associated with a substance added to the vaccine to enhance the immune response, technically called an adjuvant.
“The results are excellent because we see that it works, and we are seeing that the response is much better because we are including an adjuvant, which provides much more effective protection against both antigens. [moléculas desconhecidas pelo organismo que levam à produção de anticorpos]”, he stated.
According to the researcher, the introduction of the adjuvant produced by Butantan itself, called IB160, which is very similar to those used in the seasonal influenza vaccine, has the advantage of requiring a smaller amount of antigens in the vaccine’s composition. This factor would increase the capacity to produce doses with the same amount of antigens produced.
“[A inclusão do adjuvante] improves the response not only in quantity, but in quality of antibodies. The study indicates that this inclusion can increase the production time of these antibodies and that the immune response can last much longer, be more effective without altering safety”, highlighted Paulo.
Source: CNN Brasil
