JERUSALEM: Amidst the panic created by all spreading Coronavirus, Israeli scientists say they have been able to use the development of a vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus found in poultry to help them.
Dr. Chen Katz said: ‘Let’s call it pure luck. We decided to choose coronavirus as a model for our system just as a proof of concept for our technology.’
Katz added: ‘The scientific framework for the vaccine is based on a new protein expression vector, which forms and secretes a chimeric soluble protein that delivers the viral antigen into mucosal tissues by self-activated endocytosis, causing the body to form antibodies against the virus.’
Endocytosis sees substances brought into the cell.
MIGAL scientists say if they can ‘adjust the system’ from the poultry coronavirus to the human one they will have ‘in a few weeks, if it all works, we would have a vaccine to prevent coronavirus’.
(With inputs from agencies)
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