Scientists Ugur Sahin and Ozlem Tureci are the Turkish-German power couple who made the much-touted Covid-19 vaccines. They have been studying how to treat infectious diseases and cancer.
These scientists have experience in immunotherapy treatments for cancer, which puts their expertise in making a cure for the coronavirus a probable reality, reported CNN.
Many of the vaccines that were introduced as a possible cure for the coronavirus have not panned out. Their work in the study of a modified genetic code is now the focus of the public. They might be onto an effective vaccine for the virus once thoroughly tested.
Both Sahin, 55, and Tureci, 53, formed the pharma "BioNTech" in the German City in Mainz during 2008. According to the co-partner of BioNTech, which is backed up by the US pharma Pfizer, it is expected to work as much as 90% percent in their volunteers.
One of the methods it will attack the virus is the use of messenger RNA, or mRNA to jumpstart an immune reaction. This is done via vaccinations on people.
Last Tuesday, reporters were given an interview by Sahin. He explained the news and its impact on everyone.
Quoting what he said, "I think the good message for mankind is that we now understand that COVID-19 infections can be indeed prevented by a vaccine."
The Pfizer CEO's Albert Bourla declared on CNN that it is 'the greatest medical advance' during the last century.
With so many failed treatments and therapies, this vaccine will be a positive step. The two scientists have achieved much in the medical world.
Sahin and Tureci (Turkish-German Power Couple) are trained doctors and performed well in pharma they used to work in. Some of their work in 2001 on creating cancer-fighting antibodies as a COVID-19 vaccine sold for $1.4 billion in 2016.
Also read: The Best Way to Detect Antibodies Are Blood Tests to See the True Scale of the Coronavirus Pandemic
The couple has been together over cancer research, said Reuters. Sahin came across a paper in Wuhan that involved anti-cancer mRNA drugs to mRNA-based viral vaccines. These vaccines inspired the final product of Pfizer, noted Reuters.
The company BioNTech had 500 of its researchers to look into several potential mRNA compounds. They were later sealing the deal with Pfizer in March.
The coronavirus vaccine will utilize the genetic material, mRNA, that will fool cells to build up protein that will mimic part of the viral material. Enabling the immune system will destroy viral bits, more or less react immediately on the infection.
Sahin is seen as modest and humble by his colleagues.
This new coronavirus vaccine by Pfizer will be a headstart for other coronavirus vaccines, said experts. Sahin made a statement about the impact of the global race to stop covid.
Last Tuesday, he mentioned the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine would not be only one of many to combat the pandemic. Several of them are in the Phase 3 vaccines in trials.
Joining with Pfizer, BioNTech is ready to create enough doses up to 1.3 billion doses in the tail end of 2021 if there is an authorization given to produce them.
They are set to ask if the US Food and Drug Administration would allow its use in an emergency. The Turkish-German power couple who designed the COVID-19 vaccine.
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