Abstract
Vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2 has been fierce due to the devastating COVID-19 pandemic and has included all potential approaches for providing the global community with safe and efficient vaccine candidates in the shortest possible timeframe. Viral vectors have played a central role especially using adenovirus-based vectors. Additionally, other viral vectors based on vaccinia viruses, measles viruses, rhabdoviruses, influenza viruses and lentiviruses have been subjected to vaccine development. Self-amplifying RNA virus vectors have been utilized for lipid nanoparticle-based delivery of RNA as COVID-19 vaccines. Several adenovirus-based vaccine candidates have elicited strong immune responses in immunized animals and protection against challenges in mice and primates has been achieved. Moreover, adenovirus-based vaccine candidates have been subjected to phase I to III clinical trials. Recently, the simian adenovirus-based ChAdOx1 vector expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S spike protein was approved for use in humans in the UK.
Highlights
An impressive spectrum of viral vectors has been subjected to vaccine development against COVID-19, as described in preclinical studies in animal models (Table 1) and in clinical trials (Table 2)
Protection has been achieved after immunization with LV, modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vectors in rodents
The classic delivery route comprises intramuscular administration, and intranasal sprays have shown promise for adenovirus, LV and influenza virus vectors
Summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread quickly around the world, causing the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen more than 100 million infections, 2.15 million deaths and a severely damaged global economy [1]. As there were no efficient antiviral drugs or existing vaccines against SARSCoV-2 when the pandemic started, a frantic drug and vaccine development process was initiated. This involved repurposing existing available antiviral drugs and vaccine development based on all possible technologies including inactivated and attenuated viruses, protein- and peptide-based vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines and not least, viral vector-based vaccines [4]. Conclusions are drawn on what has been achieved so far and what is expected in the future in relation to current and potential future mutations and variations of coronaviruses and how we can prepare for emerging outbreaks
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