Making the case for mRNA vaccines

In support of the government’s COVID-19 National Vaccination Program, the Philippines has received nearly 20 million doses of the mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Modernaⁱ. This is made possible through joint efforts by the National Government, ICTSI Foundation, and the Zuellig Pharma Corporation to bring these much-needed vaccines to Filipinos.

As vaccination efforts continue to ramp up across the country, there remains a need to bring mass awareness to the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines – ultimately addressing hesitancy and empowering people to make sound and educated choices for themselves and their loved ones.

mRNA: Effective Science, Exciting Developments

While recent studies have shown that mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines are effective against the coronavirus and in preventing hospitalizations, this scientific breakthrough is the product of decades of research and a technology platform that has the potential to reshape how medicines are developed moving forward.

Over 30 years ago, scientists began exploring how vaccines could be made simpler – arriving at an approach that used Messenger Ribonucleic Acid (mRNA) to educate the human body’s immune systems to recognize and defend against virusesⁱⁱ. mRNA is a single-stranded molecule that transfers instructions stored in DNA to make proteins required for the body’s daily functions. Unlike traditional technologies in producing medicines and vaccines, mRNA technology instructs a person’s own cells to produce the proteins needed to prevent or treat diseases.

In the case of mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna, as the name implies, mRNA acts as a messenger, teaching the body’s cells to build spike proteinⁱⁱⁱ. These spike proteins are then used by the body’s immune system to create antibodies and other defenses against the coronavirus^iv.

Within just 11 months after the discovery of COVID-19, regulators in both the United Kingdom and in United States confirmed that mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 are effective and safely tolerated, paving the path for widespread use^v. Based on data from large-scale clinical trials, mRNA vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing COVID-19 infection among a diverse range of people^vi and has favorable safety profile. mRNA vaccines have been reviewed and listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO).

mRNA Moving Forward: What Lies Ahead

Viruses mutate constantly, and with the emergence of different variants, the coronavirus is no exception. Fortunately, the mRNA sequence in vaccines can be modified to address any new variants of concern in less time vs the time it takes for the virus to mutate^vii.

These welcome developments in the use of mRNA can lead to a positive impact not only in terms of addressing the coronavirus pandemic, but also in protecting against other illnesses as well. With the right approach and infrastructure, mRNA can meaningfully improve how medicines are discovered, developed, and manufactured^viii.

As early as now, the revolutionary potential of mRNA vaccines is seen as a possible avenue to revolutionize protection against the flu, Zika, HIV, cancer, and may provide treatment for various conditions such as Myocardial Ischemia and rare diseases like Phenylketonuria (PKU), Propionic acidemia, and Glycogen Storage Disease^ix.

Zuellig Pharma: Securing a Safer Future for All

As Moderna’s official partner in the Philippines, Zuellig Pharma Corporation maintains its commitment in supporting the country’s national vaccination program through the efficient distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines. As the country is on the way to securing herd immunity, future-ready mRNA vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 infection, hospitalizations, and deaths. Alongside the observance of safety protocols and social distancing, COVID-19 Vaccines help give Filipinos across the country the chance at securing a better, safer future.

For companies interested in knowing more about the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna, they can contact ZP Therapeutics, a division of Zuellig Pharma Corporation at ZPT_COVID@zuelligpharma.com.

ⁱ Philippine News Agency. “Philippines gets 3.6M more COVID jabs ahead of ‘Bayanihan, Bakunahan 2’ Accessed from: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1162399 . Accessed: January 26, 2022
ⁱⁱ Canadian Institutes of Health Research. “The Long Road to mRNA Vaccines.” Government of Canada. Accessed from: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52424.html. Accessed: November 16, 2021
ⁱⁱⁱ US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines.” Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html. Accessed: October 28, 2021.
^iv Canadian Institutes of Health Research. “What is mRNA?” Government of Canada. Accessed from: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52680.html. Accessed: November 16, 2021
^v Harvard Medical School. “Why are mRNA vaccines so exciting?” Accessed from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599 Accessed: November 16, 2021
^vi US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety.” Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/Moderna.html. Accessed: October 28, 2021.
^vii Medical News Today. “New SARS-CoV-2 variants: How can vaccines be adapted?” Accessed from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/new-sars-cov-2-variants-how-can-vaccines-be-adapted. Accessed: November 5, 2021.
^viii Moderna, Inc. “mRNA Platform: Enabling Drug Discovery & Development.” Accessed from:  https://www.modernatx.com/mrna-technology/mrna-platform-enabling-drug-discovery-development. Accessed from: October 28, 2021.
^ix US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines.” Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html. Accessed: October 28, 2021