'COVID-19 Treatment' Development Accelerates... Support for Small Animal Models

[Asia Economy Reporter Junho Hwang] The government has developed new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection models using hamsters and mice to support the development of treatments and vaccines. Following the primate infection models, support for small animal infection models has begun, which is expected to accelerate the development of treatments and vaccines.

According to the COVID-19 Response Research and Development Support Council on the 27th, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology has developed a hamster infection model and has been supporting experiments for treatment and vaccine development since this month. The council is a group established under government leadership, involving nine related research institutions and four major science and technology institutes, to resolve difficulties related to COVID-19 treatment and vaccine research and development in industry, academia, and research sectors.

Development of Hamster and Mouse Infection Models

The government urgently developed primate infection models first to speed up the development of treatments and vaccines. It also announced that one candidate substance each for treatment and vaccine showed efficacy in primate experiments. However, primate infection models are costly and resources are limited, making it difficult to verify all domestically developed treatments and vaccines. Therefore, it was necessary to verify efficacy using smaller and more affordable animals than primates.

In response to this demand, the government recently completed the development of a hamster infection model and has been supporting treatment and vaccine development since this month. From next month, support for mouse infection models will also begin. Unlike hamsters, mice do not have receptors that allow COVID-19 to penetrate their bodies. Therefore, a transgenic infection model was developed by genetically modifying mice to express the ACE2 receptor.

Typically, to develop treatments or vaccines, candidate substances are discovered through cell-level experiments and their efficacy is verified using small animals such as hamsters or mice. Then, efficacy and side effects are assessed in primates, which are genetically similar to humans, before proceeding to clinical trials in humans to develop treatments and vaccines.

Acceleration of Treatment and Vaccine Development

Ko Kyung-chul, secretary-general of the council, stated, "With support for various infection models, the efficacy of treatment and vaccine candidates can be quickly verified." Companies and research institutes developing treatments and vaccines can apply for experiments through the council’s demand survey page on the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology website.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology announced the support for small animal infection models at an on-site meeting held by Minister Choi Ki-young of the Ministry of Science and ICT at Korea Bio Park in Pangyo. Minister Choi said, "The Ministry of Science and ICT will continue to strengthen research and development and research infrastructure support to ensure the successful development of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines." Minister Choi also visited Genexine, which is developing a COVID-19 vaccine, to encourage its staff.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.