In 2022, the world has entered the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Can we see where the end point is? While the pandemic will continue to change the world, medicine and science will bring us new hopes and surprises. What scientific events are worth looking forward to in the new year?
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Author: kope
Recently, Nature magazine looked forward to the major scientific events that will occur in 2022, including mRNA vaccine , CRISPR therapy, etc. Due to the frequent success of tissue engineering research, successful cartilage culture, and successful culture of blood vessels and , it can be expected that the successful culture of many tissues will have a huge effect on repair surgery, deformity correction, etc.
Next Generation Vaccines
1 Following the successful deployment of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these vaccines are in development. Mainz, Germany-based BioNTech expects to launch first-in-human trials of its mRNA vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and genital herpes in the coming weeks. BioNTech is also working with New York City-based Pfizer Inc. to trial a vaccine candidate based on mRNA to reduce the incidence of shingles. Moderna of Cambridge, Mass., also has an mRNA vaccine candidate for , the virus that causes genital herpes and shingles.
htmlIn November, BioNTech and Pfizer began Phase I trials of an mRNA vaccine designed to prevent COVID-19 and influenza. The combination vaccine contains mRNA strands encoding the binding proteins of SARS-CoV-2, Omicron, BA.4/BA.5 and four influenza variants. Others are studying the possibility of delivering a COVID-19 vaccine using a fast-acting nasal spray. The sprays are effective in animals, but the road to human trials could be long.Pathogens Watch List
2 The World Health Organization is expected to publish a revised list of priority pathogens. About 300 scientists will review evidence from more than 25 viruses and the family of bacteria to identify pathogens that could cause future outbreaks. R&D roadmaps for each priority pathogen will outline knowledge gaps, identify research priorities and guide the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said: "Identifying priority pathogens and virus families for research and development of responses is critical for rapid and effective response to epidemics and pandemics." Ryan said: "Without massive investment in research and development before the COVID-19 outbreak, it would not have been possible to develop a safe and effective vaccine in record time."
This list was first announced in 2017. It currently includes new coronavirus , Ebola virus and Marburg virus , Lassa fever , Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), "Nipah" virus, Zika virus and disease X, etc. For each pathogen identified as a priority, experts will identify gaps in knowledge and research priorities. Rules covering vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests could then be drafted with specific requirements. Efforts should also be made to promote clinical trials to develop such tools, while efforts to strengthen regulatory and ethical oversight should also be considered. expects the revised list to be announced by April 2023.
CRISPR therapy
3 Since the birth of CRISPR technology, there have been two main obstacles hindering its clinical application: one is the off-target problem, and the other is the delivery efficiency problem. With the development of technology, these two problems are no longer a big problem. So, can CRISPR therapy be unimpeded from now on?
Next year could herald the first approval of a CRISPR gene therapy, following promising results from clinical trials using the CRISPR-Cas9 system to treat beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease, two inherited blood disorders. The exagamglogene autotemcel (EXA-CEL) treatment is being developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Boston, Massachusetts, and CRISPR Therapeutics of Cambridge.It works by collecting a person's own stem cells and editing the defective gene using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, then injecting the cells into the body. Vertex expects to apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval in March to provide exa-cel to patients with beta thalassemia or sickle cell disease.
Alzheimer's Drugs
4 html In early November, U.S. regulators will announce a drug that could slow the rate of cognitive decline in a robust clinical trial. Can be provided to Alzheimer's disease patients. Developed by pharmaceutical company Eisai and biotechnology company Biogen, lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody that clears up amyloid beta protein that accumulates in the brain. The clinical trial included 1,795 patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease and showed that lecanemab slowed mental decline by 27% compared with placebo. However, some scientists believe this is only a modest benefit, while others are concerned about the drug's safety. Another Alzheimer's drug, called blarcamesine - developed by New York City-based Anavex Life Sciences - will continue to move through clinical trials. Blarcamesine activates a protein that increases the stability of neurons and their ability to connect to each other.
Popular research fields
5 In the field of biotechnology, in addition to genetic engineering and transgenic animals, cell engineering especially the preservation, proliferation and application technology of stem cells will trigger major changes in the medical field to a considerable extent, making it possible to cure many so-called terminal diseases in the past, such as aplastic anemia , leukemia , radiation sickness, and even tumors.
Protein engineering may be one of the next hottest research fields after human genome engineering. For example, how to replace animal albumin with a few amino acids to make a substance that is similar or identical to human albumin; how to reduce the antigenicity of heterogeneous proteins so that they can be widely used in clinical practice without allergic reactions; how to improve the antigenicity of tumors to successfully develop tumor vaccines and use them for the prevention and treatment of tumors.
Reference:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-04444-3
Note: This article is intended to introduce the progress of medical research and cannot be used as a reference for treatment plans. If you need health guidance, please go to a regular hospital.
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