Are you overwhelmed by all the vaccine information or the number of effective vaccines that are about to reach Canadian soil? We have two mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna. The AstraZeneca vaccine is a viral vector vaccine which has just been approved for use in Canada. Five hundred thousand doses arrive yesterday. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is about to be approved by Health Canada.
Remarkable stuff.
But what about a Canadian vaccine made in Canada? Medicago is a company based in Quebec City. They have a plant-based production platform. They use plants as mini-protein factories to make vaccines. Medicago's plant-derived vaccine development differs because it uses living plants as machines that produce the proteins needed to stimulate our immune system to make antibodies against a virus.
They use N. benthamiana plants. These plants have weak immune systems. Yes, plants have immune systems too. Because their immune systems are weak, the plants can be easily infected with viruses.
This is so cool and I think it will be the way the future for vaccine development. So here is what the smart people at Medicago have done. They took the genetic sequence of the COVID 19 virus and synthesized it.
The N. benthamiana plants were submerged in a solution containing the synthesized COVID-19 genetic material. They use a technology that makes the plant take up the genetic material.
The plant then acts like a mini-factory and produces Virus-Like Particles ( VLP's) which can stimulate the human immune system. The plants are harvested, the VLP's extracted and then used to make vaccines.
Medicago's vaccine is now entering phase III trials. The federal government has invested $ 178 million so far and have guaranteed to buy 75 million doses of the vaccine for Canadians.
There is a team at Dawson Medical Clinic ( Dawson Clinical Research) in Guelph, led by our own Dr. Doug Friars ( physician lead of the COVID-19 testing centre in Guelph). Dr Friars and his team are looking for 300 people who are interested in being one of the phase III study participants. Being a participant means you will get this vaccine. So far, in phase I and II of the vaccine trials, 100 % of the study participants have developed antibodies to COVID 19. No serious side effects.
This vaccine is looking like it may be more effective than the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and....it is all plant based.
If you are interested in becoming a study participant or you would like to learn more, click on this link:
Science is so amazing.
Anne-Marie
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Our next 'Finding the Balance during COVID-19 Special Young People Addition' is on Tuesday March 9th. Here is the direct link to register:
Anne-Marie
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For mental health support here:
For local assistance with anxiety and depression:
CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca
Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.
And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk
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And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:
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