A UNIVERSITY research fellow has a “crazy idea” to quickly distribute coronavirus vaccines — turn it into a yeast drink.
Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, O.P., a molecular biologist and visiting professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, proposed his yeast vaccine delivery system during the 12th Carmen G. Kanapi Lecture held virtually last Dec. 4.
“The goal here is that if we are able to develop this oral vaccine, then we would make something like Yakult. You will just take the yeast and you would drink the yeast every day,” he said.
Yakult is the popular Japanese “probiotic” milk drink.
The oral vaccine should be able to induce immune system response against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, by targeting its proteins, he said.
Austriaco said oral delivery would be a new way of administering vaccines. Vaccine production will also be faster, he said.
The UST researcher said he hoped to set up an experimentation facility in the University after finishing his yeast project in the United States.
“This is just a crazy idea but it’s worth trying. Otherwise we will wait for one or two years here in the country to vaccinate our entire population,” he said.
Oral vaccines will also reduce the use of syringes and refrigeration, as well as contact with nurses and doctors, since the yeast drink could be distributed more easily throughout the country.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved any Covid-19 vaccine.
The Philippines targets to hold clinical trials of vaccines from China and Russia as early as the first quarter of 2021, government vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Dec. 2. Caitlin Dayne A. Contreras and Katherine Anne L. Escarilla
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