Researchers from Monash University in Australia and the National University of Singapore have adapted new cancer and pan-influenza vaccine technology to developing a COVID-19 vaccine targeted for the elderly.

Their proof of concept studies have triggered long term immunity in animal models. Importantly, once preclinical validation has been completed, this promising vaccine candidate could enter clinical trials rapidly as manufacturing capabilities are readily available in both Singapore and Australia.

Associate Professors Mireille Lahoud and Irina Caminschi from the Monash University Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), together with Associate Professor Sylvie Alonso from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), have spent 12 years developing a patented platform technology that triggers immunity against diseases ranging from cancer, influenza and other infectious diseases.

Now, the Monash BDI researchers in collaboration with colleagues at the National University of Singapore, are using the technology to target the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, which is part of the outer layer of the virus and critical for entry into cells.

Further preclinical and clinical development will be carried out at Monash University and at the National University of Singapore. The Monash-Singapore research team is working to raise funds to develop this COVID-19 vaccine platform.