Treatments not vaccines will ultimately be the answer to COVID-19, according to industry experts.
There are 25 coronavirus variants "under monitoring", Public Health England's strategic COVID-19 response director has told MPs.
Dr Susan Hopkins told the Science and Technology Committee: "We're living in a world of variants now, so everything we see is a variation of the original.
This may prove challenging for the logistics of the vaccine rollout.
Pharmaceutical companies have begun redesigning their current approved vaccines in order to be able to respond to the emergence of new strains of the COVID-19 virus as they are discovered but this may not be an efficient way to tackle this pandemic.
For instance, influenza shots are modified regularly thanks to monitoring of the potential genetic changes in the virus throughout the year as well as the presence of antigens produced by our bodies circulating in the population all year round allows the labs to better predict the next potential new strains of the same virus emerging in the near future. Despite scientific efforts, the efficacy of produced vaccines against influenza viruses has been reported as low as 16% to a high of 65%. And, vaccinating the entire population is very difficult.
“The biggest danger is a variant which becomes resistant to current vaccines that would require, essentially, a complete reset of the vaccination rollout programme,” Damien Hancox, chief executive of SpectrumX Holdings Ltd, told Proactive.
“Whilst we absolutely support the vaccination programme, we believe that governments urgently need to look at antivirals which are effective against current and future variants without further modifcations.”
SpectrumX and its partner have developed a product, SPC-069, with a positively non-selective mode of action against all bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant strains) as well as all known viruses.
It harnesses the antimicrobial qualities of a chemical known as hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is produced as a vital component of our bodies immune system to destroy unwanted bacteria and viruses.
The formulation mimics how humans make HOCl, which in turn provides resilience to infections.
The private firm, soon to IPO in London, is working with the Medical University Hospital Innsbruck in phase II clinical trial for COVID-19 treatment using the novel HOCl based SPC-069 formulation. Additional in vitro testing is starting on the efficacy of the product against both Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) as well as the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) currently circulating the globe. The company believes that because of the positive non-selective mode of action that no matter how the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates the product will maintain efficacy.
“SpectrumX believe that this will demonstrate potential efficacy against not only all existing SARS-CoV-2 variants but that the mode of action would be effective against any future viruses” Hancox added.
“Additionally the product could be utilised against seasonal influenza which is also anticipated to spike this winter.”