Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Laboratory of Viral Immunology in New York have collaborated to create a novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, formed of a virus-like nanoparticle that displays receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on its surface in a pattern designed to induce more antibody production.
Background
84% of the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines in the USA are virus-based vaccines: they contain inactivated or attenuated versions of the virus that trigger the immune system to begin creating antibodies. They are effective but run the risk of reactivation, allergic reaction, and other side effects.
