WATERLOO — Researchers at University of Waterloo are developing a DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19 that will be delivered through a nasal spray.

This vaccine will be engineered to mimic SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, explained Roderick Slavev, a professor at the university’s School of Pharmacy.

“Once it gets into those cells they will construct what looks like and mimics the (COVID-19) virus and that will then allow for an antibody response against actual infections.”

Vaccines are commonly protein-based or inactivated viruses. Slavev said DNA-based vaccines can be highly effective against viral infections because they use a targeted approach.

This vaccine will use a process that allows it to replicate in bacteria that already exists in humans, Slavev said.

It will target tissues in the nasal cavity and lower respiratory tract, which is the area that is most impacted by the disease. It will then generate proteins within those cells to create a virus very similar to SARS-CoV-2 which will then trigger an immune response to protect from the disease while being harmless.

This process results in a vaccine that is not only preventive but also designed to treat individuals who are infected with COVID-19, Slavev said.

He is also hopeful there are elements to this vaccine that could make it effective against future outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2.

Using a nasal spray to administer the vaccine is an effective and non-invasive approach, Slavev said. Effective because this nasal spray will allow the vaccine to trigger an immune response through tissues in the nasal cavity.

Ensuring a vaccine is safe to be used requires testing and preclinical trials before it can be considered safe to use on humans. Slavev said he and other university researchers are working as quickly as possible to expedite that process. He hopes preclinical trials will be completed by April 2021.

“We have all hands on deck right now,” Slavev said. “This is a full fledged activity getting this vaccine to the preclinical trial stage.”

“It’s a very complex route to go through. We have to ensure safety to make this a viable vaccine candidate.”

alatif@therecord.com

Twitter: @LatifRecord

alatif@therecord.com

Twitter: @LatifRecord