Patarroyo presents a methodology for vaccine development

2011/03/29 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Medikuntza

The prestigious scientist Manuel Elko Patarroyo has published in the journal Chemical Reviews a methodology for the elaboration of synthetic vaccines. In fact, the article gathers the work done for years and explains the steps to take to develop a synthetic vaccine to protect yourself from malaria, although no specific disease is mentioned in the title (Structural and Immunological Principles Leading to Chemically Synthesized, Multiantigenic, Multistage, Minimal Subunit-Based Development Vaced Cine).

In fact, the vaccine described is based on the synthetic version of the parasite responsible for malaria. This part is key in infection and all genetic variants of the parasite are effective against all variants. This is very important since some of the variants are resistant to the main treatments existing today. In addition, in the tests performed on monkeys, the vaccine has shown almost total effectiveness.

Moreover, at the end of the article Patarroyo and his teammates mention that the methodology can serve to make vaccines against other infectious diseases.

This has been highlighted by most of the media that have released the article, which has found a recipe for synthetic vaccines against infectious diseases. However, the publication has only had an impact on the media in Spanish; in the rest, it has not even been mentioned. Many experts have also taken it prudently, since for the moment they have only done the opposite and have not tried it in people.