The outbreak of COVID-19 sparked an unprecedented effort around the world to discover effective treatments and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Despite the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of a few therapeutics, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are necessary to mitigate the pandemic and allow a return to normalcy. To promote understanding of COVID-19 vaccinology, we provide an overview of the vaccine development landscape and summarize the advantages and challenges surrounding various vaccine platforms, including conventional platforms (live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines), recombinant viral protein-based platforms (protein subunit and virus-like particle vaccines), viral vector-based platforms, and nucleic acid-based platforms (DNA- and mRNA-based vaccines). We then highlight COVID-19 candidate vaccines in clinical trials and those recently approved. In addition, we analyze research trends in publications related to COVID-19 vaccine development and address the use of adjuvants and delivery systems relevant to COVID-19 vaccine development. The novel platforms and technologies catalyzed by this pandemic may also shape future vaccine development when new viruses emerge.

A comprehensive overview of the global efforts on COVID-19 vaccine development

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.