Current view on novel vaccine technologies to combat human infectious diseases

Abstract

Inactivated and live attenuated vaccines have improved human life and significantly reduced morbidity and mortality of several human infectious diseases. However, these vaccines have faults, such as reactivity or suboptimal efficacy and expensive and time-consuming development and production. Additionally, despite the enormous efforts to develop vaccines against some infectious diseases, the traditional technologies have not been successful in achieving this. At the same time, the concerns about emerging and re-emerging diseases urge the need to develop technologies that can be rapidly applied to combat the new challenges. Within the last two decades, the research of vaccine technologies has taken several directions to achieve safe, efficient, and economic platforms or technologies for novel vaccines. This review will give a brief overview of the current state of the novel vaccine technologies, new vaccine candidates in clinical trial phases 1-3 (listed by European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)), and vaccines based on the novel technologies which have already been commercially available (approved by EMA and FDA) with the special reference to pandemic COVID-19 vaccines. Key points• Vaccines of the new generation follow the minimalist strategy.• Some infectious diseases remain a challenge for the vaccine development.• The number of new vaccine candidates in the late phase clinical trials remains low.

The Role of Nucleoprotein in Immunity to Human Negative-Stranded RNA Viruses—Not Just Another Brick in the Viral Nucleocapsid

“…As already mentioned, rNP assembles in homogenous rings composed of NP subunits [ 58 , 63 , 66 ], enclosing any available RNA representing a virus-like particles (VLP). A similar VLPs based on the L1 protein of human papilloma virus (HPV) have been effectively used as HPV vaccine (reviewed in Reference [ 198 ]).…”

“…When testing new vaccine candidates, the main focus is their immunogenicity and safety. The testing results should provide relevant information on the quality and quantity of the immune response (both humoral and cell mediated) and the safety of the tested compound [ 198 ]. Standard methods for measuring cellular response or the level and quality of NAbs are well known.…”

Plant-Derived Natural Products as Lead Agents against Common Respiratory Diseases

“…However, many of these management regimens have their complications and adverse side effects. The continuous emergence of novel respiratory infections such as SAR-CoV-2, the resurgence of new strains of pathogens such as the multi-drug resistant strains of TB, and the complexities in their mode of action, are major setbacks to effective vaccination [ 64 , 65 ]. Hormone therapy has been reported to be associated with increased risk of asthma among pre-menopausal women [ 66 ].…”

Editorial: Novel Vaccine Technologies in Animal Health

“…Suboptimal performance issues, high costs and limitations in regards to scale-up production, illustrate the major caveats of traditional vaccine approaches for a time-sensitive response to emergent pathogens with pandemic potential ( 2 , 3 ). Despite significant advances in vaccine research and development, human vaccinology was arguably kept in a relative stalemate in the pre-pandemic era with limited innovative vaccine approaches receiving licensure ( 4 ). On the other hand, veterinary science is a fertile ground for the development and commercialization of novel vaccine technologies.…”