Domestic medical staff develops oral vaccine technology for COVID-19 using recombinant Salmonella

Korea University’s Allergy and Immunity Research Institute has succeeded in developing an oral vaccine technology for COVID-19 using intestinal microbes.

The research team used the Salmonella strain, an intestinal microorganism that induces an immune response by oral administration, in the study. Instead of adjuvants used in existing vaccines, it uses intestinal microbial strains that attenuate and enhance the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Schematic diagram of the oral intestinal microbial vaccine expressing COVID-19 antigen (Figure = Korea University Medical Center)

The research team introduced a vaccine platform technology that activates the immune system by expressing the COVID-19 antigen like a virus, but does not infect it like a virus. The research institute conducted joint research with Professor Bang Il-soo of Chosun University.

Professor Won-seok Yoon, who is in charge of the research, said, “This research is meaningful in that we have developed a microbial fusion technology for various harmful microorganisms that may reappear following Corona 19. ” he said.

Meanwhile, the research results were published on the 1st of the international academic journal ‘VACCINES’. The research team applied for a domestic patent for a COVID-19 vaccine strain using a recombinant Salmonella strain.