TASHKENT – Scientists in Uzbekistan are testing an edible tomato-based vaccine to boost the immune response against the novel coronavirus.
The unusual research to curb the ongoing pandemic is being conducted at the academy’s Center of Genomics and Bioinformatics and is set to be completed by the end of this year.
A Russian news agency quoting a representative of the national academy of sciences said the researchers in the Central Asian state are conducting trials of a transgenic, tomato-based vaccine against the deadly virus, and have already yielded ‘definite results’.
It further mentioned that “The experiment showed that the S-protein of the Covid virus, synthesized in a tomato, enters the intestines and triggers the immune system and the produced antibodies will fight the pathogens”. The scientist further claimed that “It is very cheap to produce plant-based vaccines, noting that the edible vaccine is a safe and harmless product, while oral vaccination will be good for children as well”.
Reports cited that researchers cloned the crown part of the Covid detected in the country and placed it in the plant cell, and as a result, these plant cells acted as a vaccine.
Meanwhile, the Uzbek Minister of Innovative Development announced that Uzbekistan is working on a mutual project linked to coronavirus with Austria.
Russian scientists working on first edible coronavirus vaccine
In the same context, Russia, Canada, and some other countries are also working on developing edible vaccines mostly based on dairy products or oats.
