Chumakov Center will create a vaccine against COVID-19 based on insect cells

The Chumakov Center is developing a CORONAVIRUS vaccine based on virus-like particles in insect cells, its DIRECTOR, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Aidar Ishmukhametov, said at a general meeting of the organization. The broadcast was conducted on the YouTube channel "Scientific Russia".

“Two years ago, we in South Africa began work on the development of a polio vaccine based on virus-like particles. [Now] <...> we are trying, already on a different platform, to make a vaccine based on virus-like particles in insect cells against covid-19,” Ishmukhametov said.

In mid-October, the deputy HEAD of the Center. Chumakova Konstantin Chernov explained why the center decided to create the Kovivak vaccine based on the classical platform of the inactivated virus. “Here you can jokingly refer to the slogan that McDonald's once used: “We only make hamburgers, but we make them well.” We know how to make such vaccines,” Chernov said.

He explained that during the production of the vaccine, a live virus is produced, which is then killed. Only the outer shell of the virus remains, which the body recognizes as a live virus and begins to develop appropriate defense mechanisms.