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KAIMRC NEWSLETTER ISSUE 11 OCT 2020 THE RESEARCHERinnovations.kaimrc.med.sa/en/newsletters Highlights KAIMRC research on MERS paves the 2 way for a COVID-19 candidate vaccine Out-of-the-box approaches to 3 dental and cancer challenges New initiative helps to turn 5 research into useful applications KAIMRC and KAUST partnership in big 6 data heralds future R&D collaboration Contact us at [email protected] KAIMRC NEWSLETTER 2 THE RESEARCHER ISSUE 11 3 the root canal wall. The key can be reversed to remove the post. Srayeddin hopes this will make LAYING THE FOUNDA- canal treatment safer and more comfortable. TIONS FOR A COVID-19 Cancer cues In a bid to improve the accuracy of targeted ra- CANDIDATE VACCINE diotherapy treatment, Mamdooh Alqathami de- veloped a liquid nanocomposite which acts as a 3D biomarker for highlighting the borders of KAIMRC research on MERS contributed data for cancerous tumours. “The precise location of tu- adenovirus vector safety mours change continuously – for example, lung tumours move with every breath, and prostate Some 18,000 people around the 2020 tumours shift depending on bowel fullness,” ex- world have received the vaccine plains Alqathami. “Targeted radiotherapy risks candidate AZD1222 as part of hitting healthy surrounding tissues, rather than PHASE III TRIALS OF a global effort to control the the tumour itself.” ASHRAF HABIB HABIB ASHRAF COVID-19 pandemic. AZD1222, Existing markers require large needles to in- COVID-19 VACCINE developed by the UK’s Oxford sert, and they sometimes migrate from their University, is one of nine can- target destination, causing side effects and treat- IN SAUDI ARABIA didates currently in Phase III ment errors. “Our biocompatible liquid reacts clinical trials for SARS-CoV-2. when exposed to moisture inside the body to KAIMRC and leading industry collaborators are working to The history of this candidate is form a 3D nano-composite, which attaches by intertwined with a KAIMRC-developed candidate vaccine to treat the covalent bonds to the border of the tumour, the bring one of the most promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). tissue of interest, or both,” says Alqathami. “It can from the lab to the clinic AZD1222, previously known as ChAdOx1 nCov-19, is based on be detected using magnetic resonance imaging, ChAdOx1, a weakened form of an adenovirus that natively infects computed tomography, ultrasound, and X-ray.” ANDRIY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM B/ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) is prepar- chimpanzees. To protect against coronavirus, the chimpanzee virus Another cancer-related patent has been regis- ing to start phase III clinical trials of one of the most advanced promis- is modified with genetic material encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike tered by Ahmad Samir Aljada, who has developed ing COVID-19 vaccine candidates, CoronaVac, in partnership with Chinese protein so that it will instruct the patient’s cells to produce this vi- a simple, low-cost assay for diagnosing breast company Sinovac Biotech, who developed the drug. ral particle. The hope is that this trains the immune system to fight INVENTIVE cancer and other types of cancer. The assay does Abdelali Haoudi, Head of Strategy and Business Development at KAIM- COVID-19 if it is encountered. not require specialist knowledge to interpret, im- RC, lauded the “important, strategic, and exciting partnership” between ChAdOx1, developed by Oxford University in 2012, also forms proving the ease of use for physicians. the two organizations and with Pharmaserve, the Saudi pharmaceutical the basis of other vaccines that have been successful in trials. These APPROACHES “Our technique measures the ratio of lamin services company that will distribute the vaccine if it gets approved. include prophylaxes against tuberculosis, rabies, Zika, and MERS – a C to lamin A, two genes whose expression level KAIMRC and its partners are awaiting Saudi Food and Drug Administra- zoonotic disease that passed from camels to humans. MERS-CoV tion (SFDA) approval to begin phase III trials, which are the final stage of was identified for the first time in Saudi Arabia in 2012. After a string TO MEDICAL trials before a drug reaches the market. These are conducted after success- of infections and deaths leading up to a 2015 outbreak at a Riyadh “Current technology ful completion of preclinical studies and phase I and II trials, which assess hospital, KAIMRC began conducting clinical investigations to combat uses a tiny screw- safety and efficacy. the spread of MERS. CHALLENGES driver to insert posts The SFDA is in its final stages of review, which involves inspecting Si- In 2012, Naif Alharbi, now director of KAIMRC’s Vaccine Develop- manually, relying novac’s facilities in China. Once approved, clinical trials teams at multiple ment Unit, was studying for his PhD at Oxford University under the Innovation at KAIMRC and KSAU-HS leads to promising patent sites will begin recruiting volunteers, and Saudi Arabia will join Brazil and supervision of Sarah Gilbert at the time her team first reported the heavily on the practi- Indonesia in conducting phase III trials on CoronaVac. It is thought that the use of ChAdOx1 as a promising viral vector for vaccine research. In submissions for improved dental treatments, targeted radiotherapy, trials will last from four to six months. the wake of MERS, this led to the founding of a KAIMRC-Oxford col- and cancer diagnostics tioner’s skill.” “KAIMRC, Sinovac, and Pharmaserve have been ready to sign agreed laboration and the development of ChAdOx1 MERS. After promising contracts and collaborative agreements for about two months,” Haoudi ex- results in mice and camels, the Saudi Food and Drug Administration In 2020, scientists affiliated with KAIMRC and weaker than healthy teeth, and so a threaded ratio changes over time in cancer cells,” says Al- plains, adding that once they’re given the go-ahead, the three parties will gave its approval in late 2019 for a Phase I (first-in-human) clinical trial KSAU-HS registered patents for a dental tool root post is typically inserted to strengthen the jada. “The assay is particularly sensitive to stage conduct a signing ceremony to share their latest developments. of the vaccine, the first Phase I trial to ever conducted in the Kingdom. for use in root canal surgery, a liquid nanocom- tooth before restoration. 1 cancer and could provide rapid early diagnosis The partnership is very promising even in its infancy, says Haoudi. He The main difference between AZD1222 and ChAdOx1 MERS, says posite marker that pinpoints the borders of “Current technology uses a tiny screwdriver and inform patient treatment options.” describes the building of a solid foundation of “coordination, information Alharbi, is the use of either the SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV spike pro- cancerous tumours, and a novel assay for diag- to insert posts manually, relying heavily on the KAIMRC actively encourages scientists to use sharing, and trust,” and says the collaboration will expand in scope in the tein. Combined with the relationship between these two pathogens, nosing cancers. practitioner’s skill,” says Srayeddin. “If the post their knowledge and skills to develop tools and future to develop new therapeutics and medical devices. The three entities both being of the genus Betacoronavirus, this means that studies into is fitted too forcefully, the stress creates cracks in techniques to further scientific progress. “I’m communicate continually to ensure their activities are in line with the most ChAdOx1 MERS yield transferrable knowledge that benefits AZD1222 Delicate dentistry the inner root canal.” delighted that KAIMRC applauds ‘out of the box’ stringent national and international regulations. research. “Previous safety and immunogenicity data resulting from Bassam Nawaf Srayeddin developed the den- Srayeddin’s post key incorporates springs that thinking,” says Imadul Islam, a senior KAIMRC re- “In history, few scientists working in isolation made important discov- the joint work between KAIMRC and Oxford” have helped the latter tal root post key to reduce the incidence of exert a dynamic but limited force when com- search scientist. “Our management teams give us eries,” Haoudi reflects. “But the world is changing. Collaboration, coopera- to be “much more ready” for SARS-CoV-2, says Alharbi. biomechanical tooth failures following root pressed. This allows for smoother insertion, and time and space to explore new concepts, and full tion, and shared insights are the keys to success.” canal treatment. Root canal-treated teeth are the post stops automatically when it contacts support for filing patents.” KAIMRC NEWSLETTER 4 THE RESEARCHER ISSUE 11 5 RESEARCHERS AT KAIMRC JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL RACE TO COMBAT SARS-COV-2 KAIMRC has joined with international partners to find a treatment for COVID-19 and a vaccine for its prevention KAIMRC has invited Saudi Arabia’s hospitals to tigators are recruiting 520 adult patients diag- ers are generally at a higher risk of contracting participate in several clinical trials approved by nosed with moderate or severe COVID-19 for a SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. “It’s the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) on randomized trial. easier to get concrete results by conducting the the novel Coronavirus in the hope of alleviating Bosaeed expects to get results by the end of trial on this high-risk group,” says Alharbi. “As in the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are taking the year. any other Phase 3 vaccine trial, to get reliable part in a global vaccine trial, while also working results on safety and efficacy, we need a sample to develop treatments that could help until a Global vaccine trial size of several thousand.” vaccine is ready. There are also plans for KAIMRC to take part in a global Phase 3 trial of a vaccine developed by 2020 Unique combination therapy China’s Sinovac, pending approval by SFDA.