Two scientists behind the groundbreaking mRNA Covid vaccines have been honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work.
Both Professor Katalin Kariko and Professor Drew Weissman will share the prestigious prize.
The technology was only experimental before the start of the pandemic but is now tipped to be used in other types of disease research including cancer.
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“The laureates contributed to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times,” the Nobel Prize committee said.
Professor Kariko and Professor Weissman were told of their victory over the phone this morning.
The pair were said to be “overwhelmed” by the news.
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Professor Katalin Kariko and Professor Drew Weissman win the Nobel Prize
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The body then recognises the proteins as foreign and attacks them, training the immune system for when the real virus invades.
Weissman and Kariko worked together to figure out how to apply the mRNA to the target cells without it being destroyed by the body prior to arrival.
“Through their discoveries that base modifications both reduced inflammatory responses and increased protein production, Karikó and Weissman had eliminated critical obstacles on the way to clinical applications of mRNA,” the Nobel Assembly said.
Kariko was previously employed by BioNTech between 2013 and 2022 - a company that with Pfizer, helped to produce the first clinically approved Covid vaccines in Europe.
Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech all used the mRNA technology in their Covid vaccines
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Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech all used the mRNA technology in their Covid vaccines.
Further applications of the research could be used to treat other forms of flu, HIV, malaria, Lyme disease, Zika virus and types of cancer.
Winners of the Nobel Prize are awarded a cash reward of 11 million Swedish Krona (£823,000).
