Taiwan's Academia Sinica has successfully developed the world's first "broad spectrum mRNA vaccine" that is effective against all known existing variants including Omicron. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Medigen vaccine has received emergency use authorization in Paraguay after the unblinding of Phase 3 clinical trial was conducted in the South American country.
Taiwan's domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine Medigen has received emergency use authorization (EUA) in Paraguay after the unblinding of Phase 3 clinical trial conducted in the South American country. The vaccine company, Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp. said the third trial found that the Medigen vaccine generated 3.7 times as many neutralizing antibodies as its AstraZeneca counterpart, meeting the standard for safety. That result was similar to the results obtained in Taiwan in 2021. Whether Taiwan would donate vaccines to Paraguay is currently in discussion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.
Joanne Ou, MOFA Spokesperson: “We will keep in close contact with Paraguay's government to get to know more about the country's needs for vaccines. Taiwan will provide help within our ability.”
High vaccination coverage is the key to the reopening of the borders. Academia Sinica's distinguished research fellow Wong Chi-Huey, along with the research team from the Genomics Research Center under the institute, has developed a broad spectrum mRNA vaccine with early results showing that it would target the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and is also effective against other variants. The mRNA vaccine elicited high and broad neutralization potency as well as a T-cell response after testing on lab rats. Experts explained how researchers have identified some specific elements that would help strengthen the new vaccine in the making.
Huang Li-min, Honorary Chair, Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan: “These elements better stimulate the T-cells. Traditional mRNA vaccines already elicit a good B-cell response to produce antibodies, and now we want to get a better T-cell response as well.”
Just how effective can the new mRNA vaccine be? Huang said more clinical trials are needed. Improved vaccine responses both in the B and T cell compartments would help stretch out the time between each vaccination needed.
國產高端疫苗在巴拉圭三期疫苗的臨床解盲達標，高端公告數據顯示，疫苗安全耐受性良好，而且中和抗體效價達對照組AZ疫苗之3.7倍，在安全性評估方面和國內執行的試驗數據相當，獲得巴拉圭核准緊急使用授權EUA，至於台灣有沒有預計捐贈疫苗給當地控制疫情，外交部表示會保持密切聯繫。
外交部發言人歐江安表示：「我們政府會持續與巴拉圭的政府來保持密切的聯繫，來了解巴拉圭他們的人民，對於疫苗實際的需求，在我國的能力範圍，我們來提供協助。」
疫苗覆蓋率成為後疫情時代解封的關鍵，中研院院士翁啟惠以及基因體中心研究員馬徹團隊，研發出全球首支的廣效mRNA疫苗，不但可以誘發廣效抗體對抗各式變異株，提供人體優越的保護力，也是全球首支mRNA疫苗可誘發強烈T細胞反應。有醫師指出，這是在設計mRNA疫苗的時候，特別強化了一些元素放進去。
台灣感染症醫學會名譽理事長黃立民表示：「這些元素本身對T細胞是有比較好的刺激效果，它的目標就是說，因為傳統mRNA疫苗已經確定會產生很好的B細胞，也就是抗體，可是在T細胞方面，所以我們現在希望兩邊的好處都拿到。」
廣效mRNA新冠疫苗是否成效真的那麼好？黃立民表示，還要待臨床試驗進一步證實，不過這類疫苗好處是體內同時有B細胞跟T細胞反應，保護力說不定可以更久，也就代表未來民眾接種疫苗的時間可以拉長。
