Circular RNA COVID vaccine heads toward human trial

Chinese scientists researching a new method of making vaccines for COVID-19, a process known as circular RNA, hope to begin human trials this autumn.

Wei Wensheng, a professor at Peking University's School of Life Sciences who is leading the research team, said during an interview on Friday that they are now preparing to file an application with drug regulators.

Compared to an mRNA vaccine, which is based on a linear RNA structure, a circular RNA vaccine is based on a closed ring structure, which the researchers believe may be more stable.

A vaccine candidate based on circular RNA was found to elicit high levels of antibodies and a potent T-cell response in animal studies, Wei said during the Tencent Me Summit, a forum jointly organized by domestic internet giant Tencent, and The New England Journal of Medicine, a globally-renowned medical journal.

Wei added that in animal trials, the experimental dose provided protection against the original strain of COVID-19, as well as against the Delta and Omicron variants, suggesting its potential for use in making broad-spectrum vaccines.

During the interview, Wei said that research on circular RNA is not only aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, but is also about raising preparedness for future viral outbreaks.