Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative

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Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative
RaDVaC Logo (Small).tif
AbbreviationRaDVaC
FormationMarch 2020
Type501(c)(3) organization
PurposeTo design, produce, test, and share open-source vaccine research in an effort to accelerate and strengthen COVID-19 vaccine development
Key people
Preston Estep, Alexander Hoekstra, Don Wang, Ranjan Ahuja, Brian M. Delaney, George Church
Websiteradvac.org

The Rapid Deployment Vaccine Collaborative (RaDVaC), is a non-profit, collaborative, open-source vaccine research organization founded in March 2020 by Preston Estep and colleagues from various fields of expertise, motivated to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through rapid, adaptable, transparent, and accessible vaccine development.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The members of RaDVaC contend that even the accelerated vaccine approvals, such as the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization, does not make vaccines available quickly enough.[10] The core group has published a series of white papers online,[11] detailing both the technical principles of and protocols for their research vaccine formulas, as well as dedicated materials[12] and protocols[13] pages. All of the organization's published work has been released under Creative Commons non-commercial licenses, including those contributing to the Open COVID Pledge.[14] Multiple individuals involved with the project have engaged in self-experimentation to assess vaccine safety and efficacy. As of September 2020, the organization has developed and published nine iterations of experimental intranasal, multivalent, multi-epitope peptide vaccine formulas, and according to the RaDVaC website over 100 individuals have self-administered one or more doses of the vaccines described by the group.

History[]

In March 2020, Preston Estep sent an email to several associates in an effort to determine whether any open-source vaccine projects were underway. Finding none, he and several colleagues formed RaDVaC in the following days, and began constructing the first generation of the RaDVaC research vaccine formula.

Self-experimentation[]

Several of RaDVaC's core members and numerous others have engaged in self-experimentation to assess both the safety and efficacy of the vaccine formulations. Dr. Estep self-administered the first dose on March 30, 2020. As of September 2020, the group claims that over 30 individuals have self-administered one or more doses of one or more generations of the RaDVaC experimental vaccine.[15]

Iterative vaccine research and development[]

RaDVaC considers responsive iteration a key asset in developing vaccines against an emerging disease such as COVID-19. In contrast to commercial vaccine R&D infrastructure, RaDVaC's core group adapted their vaccine designs in response to emerging research on the pathology and immunology of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

Early generations (gen. 1-6)[]

Included primarily B cell epitopes, both emergent from computational predictions as well as early research in SARS-CoV-2 antibody mapping.

Generation 7[]

First inclusion of empirical T cell response data.

Generation 8[]

Better characterization of T cell response.

Generation 9[]

Latest and most robust characterization of T cell response, especially CD8 (cytotoxic T cell).

References[]

  1. ^ "'Warp speed' is too slow for scientists testing COVID-19 vaccine on themselves". Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  2. ^ "US scientists taking home-made Covid vaccines". 16 December 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  3. ^ "Some scientists taking 'DIY inoculations' instead of waiting for COVID-19 vaccine". 26 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  4. ^ "Do-It-Yourself Vaccines for COVID-19". Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  5. ^ "Opinion: Even in a pandemic, how comfortable would you feel about open-source vaccine?". 9 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  6. ^ "Scientists Have Built A Mix-It-Yourself Vaccine And Taken It Themselves Without FDA Approval". Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  7. ^ "Researchers Testing Do-It-Yourself COVID-19 Vaccine on Themselves". 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  8. ^ "Scientists Just Released a DIY Coronavirus Vaccine Under a Creative Commons License". Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  9. ^ "Some scientists are taking a DIY coronavirus vaccine, and nobody knows if it's legal or if it works". Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  10. ^ "US scientists taking home-made Covid vaccines". 16 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  11. ^ "White paper – RaDVaC". Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  12. ^ "Materials and equipment – RaDVaC". Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  13. ^ "Protocols for making and taking the vaccine – RaDVaC". Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  14. ^ "Partners". Open Covid Pledge. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  15. ^ Murphy, Heather (2020-09-08). "These Scientists Are Giving Themselves D.I.Y. Coronavirus Vaccines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
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