Around 20 million chicken eggs should be used for the production of ButanVac by Butantan Institute, a vaccine that is being developed by the Brazilian Institute against Covid-19. In total, 40 million vaccines doses should be produced in Brazil, which will begin to be delivered from this month on.
A part of the eggs that would be designated for chicken production, is being directed to supply the new Butantan demand.
The eggs are already being successfully used in the influenza vaccine manufacturing and, for Covid-19, the laboratory is injecting them with a small amount of the Newcastle disease virus, which is harmless to humans. This virus was genetically modified to receive the S protein from SARS-CoV-2. The aim is that, armed with the coronavirus S protein, the Newcastle disease virus will be able to stimulate the production of antibodies against covid-19 in the human body.
According to estimates, two vaccine doses will be produced per egg and, after carrying out tests and effecting the immunization results , Butantan should increase the demand for eggs.