Researchers at the Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit (AGTRU) at Wits University have highlighted a groundbreaking shift in vaccine development: the use of viral mimic systems.
According to a review published in the journal Infection, these advanced technologies allow for faster, safer, and more cost-effective development of vaccines and antiviral treatments, particularly for dangerous pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.
Overcoming Laboratory Bottlenecks
Traditionally, virology research requires expensive, highly regulated Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories to handle live viruses. This bottlenecks progress, especially in low-resourced settings.
Viral mimics, such as pseudo-typed viruses or virus-like particles (VLPs), remove this hurdle.
“Because viral mimics behave like the real virus, but cannot cause disease, researchers can rapidly screen new drug and vaccine candidates within a biosafety level 2 facility.” — Natasha Killassy, AGTRU postgraduate student.
These mimics carry the structural proteins needed to enter human cells but lack the ability to replicate or cause illness, allowing realistic disease modeling without the danger.
Advancing Vaccine Equity in Africa
This technology is a game-changer for Africa, which aims to reduce reliance on imported vaccines following the supply chain crises exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Professor Betty Maepa, AGTRU Team Leader, emphasizes the strategic importance: “Africa has set targets to increase local vaccine research and manufacturing, and technologies like these could play an important role in achieving that.”
By lowering the barrier to entry, these tools enable more research institutions in low- and middle-income countries to participate directly in advanced drug discovery.
Beyond SARS-CoV-2: A Versatile Platform
While the review focuses on Covid-19, the technology is highly adaptable. Similar systems are already being explored for:
- Hepatitis B and HPV (already used in licensed vaccines)
- Influenza, HIV, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial virus
The AGTRU team is currently engineering their own virus-like particle systems, aiming to build versatile antiviral platforms ready to respond to future pandemics and support next-generation gene therapies.
