Codagenix taps synthetic biology and machine learning in vaccine development

[Image courtesy of Production Perig/Adobe Stock]

In the quest to outsmart viral foes such as SARS-CoV-2, RSV and influenza, Codagenix, a clinical-stage biotech firm based in Farmingdale, New York, has engaged a unique arsenal: the intersection of synthetic biology and machine learning. Their weapon of choice is a blend of live-attenuated virus design and codon deoptimization technology. Their process involves introducing mutations or ‘bad codons’ into the virus to slow its replication rate in the human host, thus converting it from a deadly pathogen into a live attenuated vaccine.

A machine learning-aided algorithm meticulously guides this process, ensuring the modifications are safe and effective. “We recode the DNA of a virus to slow down the rate of translation in the human host cell,” said J. Robert Coleman, the co-founder and CEO of Codagenix.

All viruses use the body to replicate t…

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