La Paz Files Patent for Bacteria-Based COVID-19 Vaccine... "Preventive Efficacy and Heterologous Boosting Effects Published in International Journal"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunseok Yoo] Lapaz announced on the 6th that it has completed a patent application for a COVID-19 preventive vaccine based on Mycobacteria. The efficacy research results related to the patented vaccine were published in the August issue of the world-renowned international journal Frontiers in Immunology. Lapaz is developing a coronavirus vaccine platform using bacteria.

Lapaz described in the journal the process of expressing the "receptor binding domain" in Mycobacteria through genetic recombination. When the coronavirus invades human cells, the virus's spike binds to the receptor "ACE2." When the receptor binding domain (RBD), which refers to the site where the coronavirus binds to the ACE2 receptor, is expressed in Mycobacteria via genetic recombination, the coronavirus binds to the Mycobacteria instead of human cells.

In addition, Lapaz published findings on the selection of vaccine candidates and animal experiments showing the production of neutralizing antibodies (IgG) that neutralize the virus after vaccination, as well as antibody (IgA) production in the nasal mucosa and bronchi where the virus first contacts.

The vaccine's infection prevention effect was verified through a "Coronavirus Neutralizing Activity" test, which examines whether neutralizing antibodies can block coronavirus cell infection. The efficacy of activating "cellular immunity," which trains immune cells to attack and eliminate the virus upon invasion, was also confirmed.

A Lapaz official stated, "Lapaz's COVID vaccine material not only has excellent intrinsic efficacy but also shows a boosting effect when cross-administered with other vaccines. After administering a 'subunit vaccine' synthesized by genetic recombination technology using only some proteins of the pathogen that can induce an immune response, we confirmed that additional administration of Lapaz's recombinant bacterial vaccine enhanced the immune response."

He added, "The bacteria-based COVID preventive vaccine developed by Lapaz, as introduced in Frontiers in Immunology, can prevent COVID-19 through the designed coronavirus antigen, and due to the advantages of bacteria-based vaccines like BCG, such as 'trained immune cells' and 'memory immunity,' it is expected to form immunity against coronavirus variants and other respiratory infectious bacteria."

The bacteria-based vaccine platform can induce an enhanced immune response immediately upon infection through memory immunity by macrophages, immune cells that remove infected viruses or bacteria. It is known to have excellent characteristics in inducing "adaptive immunity."

Juyeop Shin, Head of Lapaz Pharmaceuticals Division, said, "Following the bacteria-based vaccine, we are developing a transdermal delivery patch vaccine applying Lapaz's innovative DEN microneedle technology to DNA vaccines and mRNA vaccines, and preparing a vaccine patch factory for commercialization. We have established a mass production system that no microneedle development company in the world has achieved, capable of producing over 20 million patches annually on a single automated production line. We are also establishing a long-term plan to build a commercial manufacturing line for patch vaccines and accelerating research to secure the safety and efficacy of the patch vaccines under development."

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