An update review of globally reported SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in preclinical and clinical stages
An update review of globally reported SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in preclinical and clinical stages
Shirin Dashtbin,1Marzie Mahdizade Ari,2Hamid Motamedi,3Matin Fathollahi,4Hadi Hossainpour,5Ramin Abiri,6,*
1. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 3. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran 4. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran 5. Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran 6. Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the rapidly spreading pandemic COVID-19 in the world. As an effective therapeutic strategy is not introduced yet and the rapid genetic variations in the virus, there is an emerging necessity to design, evaluate and apply effective new vaccines. An acceptable vaccine must elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses, must have the least side effects and the storage and transport systems should be available and affordable for all countries. These vaccines can be classified into different types: inactivated vaccines, live-attenuated virus vaccines, subunit vaccines, virus-like particles (VLPs), nucleic acid-based vaccines (DNA and RNA) and recombinant vector-based vaccines (replicating and non-replicating viral vector).
Methods: Herein, we reviewed the different types of COVID-19 candidate vaccines that are currently being evaluated in preclinical and clinical trial phases along with advantages, disadvantages or adverse reactions, if any.
Results: According to the latest update of the WHO report on April 2nd, 2021, at least 85 vaccine candidates were being studied in clinical trial phases and 184 candidate vaccines were being evaluated in pre-clinical stages. In addition, studies have shown that other vaccines, including the Bacillus Calmette-Gu´erin (BCG) vaccine and the Plant-derived vaccine, may play a role in controlling pandemic COVID-19.
Conclusion: The recent pandemic, COVID-19 has resulted massive economic and social damages. Design and production of approved effective vaccines against COVID-19 is of most importance. So far, eleven vaccines are licensed for larger-scale administration due to minimal side effects, stimulating strong immunity and neutralizing antibody responses, as well as high efficacy. These vaccines include: Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sinopharm-Beijing, Gamaleya (Sputnik V), Sinovac, Sinopharm-Wuhan, Johnson& Johnson, Bharat Biotech (Covaxin), CanSino and Vector Institute (EpiVacCorona). The equitable distribution regardless of political issues and provision of adequate doses of these vaccines, especially for developing countries, may be the next challenge for COVID-19 vaccine. These vaccines are expected to reduce mortality rate significantly.