La Paz "COVID-19, Secured Vaccine Candidate Strain... Aiming to Confirm Virus Defense Capability Within the Year"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Lapas announced on the 29th that it has secured a genetically recombinant Mycobacterium strain expressing the surface antigen protein of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Lapas has entered preclinical trials to verify immune response and neutralizing antibody formation.

The genetically recombinant Mycobacterium COVID vaccine under development by Lapas uses Mycobacterium, a tuberculosis vaccine candidate substance, as a platform. The vaccine expresses an antigen with COVID-19 vaccine efficacy by recombining the gene of the coronavirus 'receptor binding domain (RBD)'. The RBD is the region that binds to the ACE2 receptor on the host cell surface and is a key target for the development of vaccines and therapeutics against the novel coronavirus.

The Mycobacterium used as the platform for the vaccine developed by Lapas has demonstrated superior antibody formation ability compared to the existing tuberculosis preventive vaccine BCG through animal experiments. It kills pathogens such as viruses invading the human immune system and generates antibodies together with B cells. It is also known for its excellent ability to activate T cells, which play an immune-related role by immediately activating immune responses upon re-exposure to the virus.

A company official stated, "Lapas's genetically recombinant Mycobacterium COVID vaccine expressing the RBD antigen of the coronavirus not only expresses the RBD antigen protein to prevent coronavirus infection but also has the ability to activate T cells that can enhance immediate immune activation upon virus exposure," adding, "It is expected to not only generate antibodies against the coronavirus but also boost the patient's immunity."

Lapas plans to confirm the feasibility of developing a coronavirus vaccine using genetically recombinant Mycobacterium within this year, and based on the results of this trial, it will proceed with full-scale product development of the COVID vaccine in 2021.