Researcher with Maharashi Dayanand University, Rohtak, develops anti-Covid ‘vaccine’

Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, May 11

A researcher with Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) in Rohtak has claimed to have developed a vaccine against Covid.

The ‘3CL hydrolase-based multi-epitope peptide vaccine against SARS-CoV-2’ has been designed by Dr Renu Jakhar, who has recently completed her PhD at the Centre for Medical Biotechnology of MDU, by using immuno-informatics.

Her research paper has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Medical Virology, published from the USA, after sharing it with the World Health Organisation.

“This is a protein-based vaccine which will strengthen our body’s immunity by raising the generation of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Utmost care has been taken to ensure that the epitopes used in the vaccine are non-toxic and non-allergic,” Dr Renu told The Tribune.

The researcher maintained that after the vaccine was ready, animal trials could be carried out at the MDU if the government and university authorities granted permission. Clinical trials on animals and humans were a time-consuming process and it might take up to nine months for the vaccine to be available in the market.

“The development of a vaccine usually takes years. It will be unprecedented if the vaccine is available by the end of the year or early next year. This has become possible with the advent of computer-aided immuno-informatics tools and genetic and protein engineering,” said Prof SK Gakhar, Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Meerpur, Rewari, under whose supervision the research was carried out.