Enhanced Synthetic pDNA Vaccines against COVID-19

An improved synthetic pDNA vaccine platform against COVID-19, offering enhanced stability, immunogenicity, and delivery, thereby increasing its effectiveness and scalability.

The original patent disclosed a synthetic pDNA vaccine against COVID-19, but it had limitations in terms of stability, delivery, and immunogenicity. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing codon optimization, GC-rich regions, lipid nanoparticle formulation, CpG motifs, and cell-free expression systems to create a more efficient and effective vaccine.

The new inventive concept comprises a plasmid with a codon-optimized SARS-CoV-2 S protein-encoding polynucleotide, which is at least 98% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1. The plasmid further includes a GC-rich region for enhanced stability. The inventive concept also encompasses a method for inducing an immune response against SARS-CoV-2, which involves administering the plasmid formulated with a lipid nanoparticle for improved delivery. Additionally, the inventive concept includes a DNA vaccine comprising the plasmid modified to include a CpG motif for enhanced immunogenicity, and a system for producing the vaccine using a cell-free expression system for rapid and scalable production.

The new claims introduce several novel features, including codon optimization, GC-rich regions, lipid nanoparticle formulation, CpG motifs, and cell-free expression systems, which are not present in the original patent. These features provide a significant improvement over the original patent, making the new inventive concept non-obvious and novel.

Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept could include different codon optimization strategies, various lipid nanoparticle formulations, and alternative CpG motifs. Additionally, the cell-free expression system could be replaced with other scalable production methods, such as bacterial or yeast-based systems.

The enhanced synthetic pDNA vaccine platform has significant commercial potential in the vaccine market, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic response. The inventive concept could be licensed to vaccine manufacturers, biotech companies, or governments, and could be used to develop vaccines for other diseases as well.