Geeky question, is there an explanation for why the Moderna vaccine is stable longer than the Pfizer one in terms of cold storage requirements since they're both mRNA? Or is it just that Moderna tested for longer storage times and Pfizer didn't? Links to long papers welcome!
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Replying to @zeynep
Both encase the mRNA in lipids. My assumption is that Moderna's choice of lipid, which I know is different, helps—but I don't actually know.
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Replying to @SteveBellovin @zeynep
There's so much that makes me wish I understood more about biology and pharmacology right now. Like why the super-cold storage? Is it simply to give it more time before it warms before being administered? And how does exposure to body temperature not inactivate it?
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In general in bio, cold helps preserve things, because it slows down chemical and enzymatic reactions so things break down more slowly. How degraded something becomes can be a matter of temp x time. So very short periods at body temp may be okay, but long-term colder is better
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Yeah, I understand the general principle, but only at that level. I wish I understood what was going on here in a way that would give me some intuition about the differences between the two vaccines.
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Both vaccines use similar method—mRNA, genetic code snippets, that tell our cells to make the spike protein the virus uses like key to get into cells. Our immune system gets target practice! mRNA gets delivered in lipids & if it's not cold, it falls apart.https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/17/935563377/why-does-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-need-to-be-kept-colder-than-antarctica …
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