Nanotechnology Interventions in the Management of COVID-19: Prevention, Diagnosis and Virus-Like Particle Vaccines

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 claimed numerous lives and put nations on high alert. The lack of antiviral medications and the small number of approved vaccines, as well as the recurrence of adverse effects, necessitates the development of novel treatment ways to combat COVID-19. In this context, using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, we gathered information about nanotechnology’s involvement in the prevention, diagnosis and virus-like particle vaccine development. This review revealed that various nanomaterials like gold, polymeric, graphene and poly amino ester with carboxyl group coated magnetic nanoparticles have been explored for the fast detection of SARS-CoV-2. Personal protective equipment fabricated with nanoparticles, such as gloves, masks, clothes, surfactants, and Ag, TiO2 based disinfectants played an essential role in halting COVID-19 transmission. Nanoparticles are used not only in vaccine delivery, such as lipid nanoparticles mediated transport of mRNA-based Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but also in the development of vaccine as the virus-like particles elicit an immune response. There are now 18 virus-like particle vaccines in pre-clinical development, with one of them, developed by Novavax, reported being in phase 3 trials. Due to the probability of upcoming COVID-19 waves, and the rise of new diseases, the future relevance of virus-like particles is imperative. Furthermore, psychosocial variables linked to vaccine reluctance constitute a critical problem that must be addressed immediately to avert pandemic.

Nanotechnology and COVID-19: Prevention, diagnosis, vaccine, and treatment strategies

“…Lipid-coated MSNPs containing antiviral agent (ML336) were developed as a strategy to improve antiviral circulation time and biocompatibility. In vitro results revealed a dose-dependent virus inhibition and an additional release of ML336 after cell endocytosis, while in vivo results showed that NPs showed significant antiviral activity and no toxicity (Siddiquie et al, 2020;Balkrishna et al, 2021;Duan et al, 2021).…”

Antimicrobial Hydrogels: Potential Materials for Medical Application

“…However, the cytotoxicity of AuNPs is affected by surface charge, size, shape, and surface modification, and modified AuNPs may be toxic to cells. [39] The precious metal gold is expensive and costly to use as an antimicrobial agent. The reported gold nanoparticle-loaded hydrogels are not really considered to be simple to prepare, inexpensive, with long-lasting antibacterial effect and biodegradability, which are some distance away from the practical application to biomedical aspects and need to continue to study this side.…”

Recent advances of nanotechnology in COVID 19: A critical review and future perspective

“…Thereafter, focusing on all these serious toxicities along with intolerable adverse effects of recommended drugs and vaccines for COVID 19, full attention has been gained towards the development of novel Nano-technological based delivery. Nanotechnologies with a great significance specifying the characteristics of rapid and accurate diagnosis, target-specific delivery with reduced dosing frequency and hence toxicities, combinatorial therapy, tunable drug release, biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, multidrug delivery with high selectivity and specificity make the nano therapeutic strategy more significant over conventional delivery as shown in Figure 4 [77] , [78] , [79] . In this review, we broadly investigated the current approach and future possibilities of a nano-technological based approach for diagnosis, delivery of potential Anti-COVID 19 therapeutic moieties and vaccine delivery as well.…”