Inclusivity Overview
The inclusivity of this project lies mainly in overcoming the structural shortcomings of current traditional vaccines and drugs in terms of population and disease type coverage.
Part of the reason we chose our topic is because it addresses traditionally immunologically vulnerable groups, such as the elderly. Traditional vaccines (like COVID-19 vaccines) primarily work by activating the adaptive immune system (i.e. producing specific antibodies and T cells). However, the immune systems of elderly individuals often face "immunosenescence." Their adaptive immune response is slower and weaker, leading to potentially lower levels of protective antibodies even after vaccination, and a higher risk of breakthrough infections. Our project targets the innate immune system, bypassing the relatively weakened adaptive immune system and directly strengthens the cell's own inherent, first-line defense capabilities. This means that even for an elderly individual with a compromised immune system, their cells, when "armed" with our technology, can more effectively block viruses at an early stage of invasion. This achieves more equitable protection, compensating for the potential lack of efficacy of traditional vaccines in vulnerable populations.
A New Paradigm for Underserved Regions
Secondly, this kind of advancement would provide a new treatment paradigm for underserved regions and for viruses that currently lack cures. Pharmaceutical companies prioritize profit in drug development, leading to severely insufficient research investment for diseases prevalent in underdeveloped regions. Taking the HPV vaccine as an example, three doses of the 9-valent HPV vaccine in China can cost over 3000 RMB, which limits access for those in need but facing financial constraints.
This project adopts a "host-directed therapy" approach. We do not directly attack the virus but enhance the host cell's universal ability to combat viruses. Many unrelated viruses (such as SARS-CoV-2 and HPV) share some key host cell pathways during invasion (such as endocytosis and endosomal trafficking). Once our platform technology targeting the "host trafficking system" is successfully validated, its logic can be rapidly adapted and applied to a wide range of other viruses that rely on the same host pathways for infection, including those currently neglected or under-researched "orphan viruses." This offers a universal, platform-based new approach to treatment for regions that cannot afford the high cost of developing specific therapeutics, greatly expanding the range of treatable viruses and possessing strong inclusive potential. This will enable more people to access needed vaccines and provide new methods for disease treatment.