Thai scientists develop Corona vaccine using tobacco leaves

A leading infectious disease doctor from Thailand's Chulalongkorn University has announced that tests of new locally produced coronavirus or Covid-19 vaccines on monkeys had proved successful, according to a report of Bangkok Post.

Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Disease Health Science Centre, said that the latest vaccine, is produced by integrating the virus' DNA into tobacco leaves. The plant responds to the DNA and produces proteins about a week later, according to the Bangkok Post report.

The proteins are then extracted to make the vaccine. So far, it has been tested on mice and monkeys. The next step is testing it on humans.

"This vaccine, made with proteins from a special type of tobacco leaf, is easy and cheap to produce, even at an industrial scale. Also, there will be no patent-related problems with this approach," he was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying.