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Antisense drugs are the same biological material, but have a very different mechanism of effect. Specifically, mRNA vaccines require an immune response to be e
by wxnx 6y ago
Antisense drugs are the same biological material, but have a very different mechanism of effect.
Specifically, mRNA vaccines require an immune response to be effective. The mRNA (vaccine) encodes a viral protein, and the host (human) immune system still has to learn to respond to that protein.
Antisense drugs are much simpler, with no immune response required. The mRNA (the drug) itself simply binds to the target mRNA.
- SomeoneFromCA 6y agoI know all that. Besides, one pedantic point - antisense are not the same to typical mRNA, they have thiophosphate group instead of normal phosphate in their backbone, or some other tweak to make them bind mRNA permanently.
- papa_bear 6y agoSome of us don't know, so the extra detail is appreciated :) Interesting re: the thiophosphate group. It sounds like it just floods your body with some mRNAs complementary to the viral mRNA that blocks it from getting turned into proteins by your cells' ribosomes?
- SomeoneFromCA 6y agoYes, pretty much; almost like NOPing out code in binary patches. However double check about the thiophosphates. I might be wrong. It is either Morpholinos are blockers and thios are promoting destruction of the mRNA or the opposite.
- philsnow 6y ago> Antisense drugs are much simpler, with no immune response required. The mRNA (the drug) itself simply binds to the target mRNA. Does that make them a class of "cures" rather than "immunizations"? If I get infected with the same thing a year later, will I need another dose of the antisense drug?
- SomeoneFromCA 6y agoYes, they are "cures". Yes, you will.
- abiogenesis 6y agoIs it correct to say that an mRNA based vaccine wouldn't work for that virus anyway if you can get infected with the same thing a year later?
- ineedasername 6y agoVaccines have a shelf life in your body. It's good to get a titer every once in a while to make sure you don't need a booster. A year would be short though, unless you mean variants/mutations, which would really be reinfection, not with the same thing.