What Should Be Done? Russia Is Facing a Possible Pandemic

V. V. Vlasov

In the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine of SB RAS (Novosibirsk), where new drug leads are being actively developed, a new approach to making vaccines against RNA-containing viruses has been created and tested. The method is based on the cleavage of genetic material (RNA) of viral particles without damaging their surface structures.

RNA-cleaving compounds, also known as artificial ribonucleases, were first synthesized for the direct use as antiviral agents. It turned out that artificial ribonucleases strongly suppress the influenza virus replication in the cell culture but are highly toxic for tissues. This gave birth to the idea of testing these compounds that destroy the viral genome, for the creation of non-infective viral particles that can become a basis for efficient antiviral vaccines.

The very first tests on animals showed that the flu vaccine made on the basis of this approach is non-toxic and offers better protection than the traditional one. The new method of inactivation of viral particles with artificial ribonucleases can also be used for obtaining vaccines for the protection against other numerous RNA-containing viruses.

More information on these and other subjects you can find in the printed version of our journal.