Production and Immunogenicity Assessment of LTp50: An -Made Chimeric Antigen Targeting S1- and S2-Epitopes from the SARS-CoV-2/BA.5 Spike Protein.

Subunit vaccines stand as a leading approach to expanding the current portfolio of vaccines to fight against COVID-19, seeking not only to lower costs but to achieve long-term immunity against variants of concern and have the main attributes that could overcome the limitations of the current vaccines. Herein a chimeric protein targeting S1 and S2 epitopes, called LTp50, was designed as a convenient approach to induce humoral responses against SARS-CoV-2. LTp50 was produced in recombinant using a conventional pET vector, recovering the expected antigen in the insoluble fraction.

Core-shell chitosan/Porphyridium-exopolysaccharide microgels: Synthesis, properties, and biological evaluation.

Advanced materials used in the biomedicine field comprises a diverse group of organic molecules, including polymers, polysaccharides, and proteins. A significant trend in this area is the design of new micro/nano gels whose small size, physical stability, biocompatibility, and bioactivity could lead to new applications. Herein a new synthesis route is described to obtain core-shell microgels based on chitosan and Porphyridium exopolysaccharides (EPS) crosslinked with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP).

Production and Purification of LTB-RBD: A Potential Antigen for Mucosal Vaccine Development against SARS-CoV-2.

Most of the current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are based on parenteral immunization targeting the S protein. Although protective, such vaccines could be optimized by inducing effective immune responses (neutralizing IgA responses) at the mucosal surfaces, allowing them to block the virus at the earliest stage of the infectious cycle. Herein a recombinant chimeric antigen called LTB-RBD is described, which comprises the B subunit of the heat-labile enterotoxin from and a segment of the RBD from SARS-CoV-2 (aa 439-504, carrying B and T cell epitopes) from the Wuhan sequence and the variant of concern (VOC)-delta.

Production and characterization of chimeric SARS-CoV-2 antigens based on the capsid protein of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for new vaccine platforms to rapidly develop solutions against emerging pathogens. In particular, some plant viruses offer several advantages for developing subunit vaccines, such as high expression rates in E. coli, high immunogenicity and safety, and absence of pre-immunity that could interfere with the vaccine's efficacy.

Current advances in the algae-made biopharmaceuticals field.

Introduction: The biopharmaceuticals industry demands new production platforms to address several challenges; such as cost reduction to make biologics accessible in low-income countries, safety enhancement of the product, development of products administered by noninvasive routes, and expansion of potential biosimilars and biobetters. Microalgae are emerging hosts for biopharmaceuticals production with the potential to meet such requirements.

Areas Covered: Nowadays successful cases on the production of vaccines, antibodies, antimicrobial peptides, growth factors/cytokines, and hormones in algae have been reported.