2024-08-25 09:28:53
Every year in autumn it is a fixed event for most of the risk categories: the flu vaccine campaign. That’s because the viruses that cause influenza are subject to change, and vaccines change every year because they may not match the most dangerous strains of the season. Therefore the goal of many researchers is to be able to develop a universal vaccine capable of giving broad protection against serious infections, covering all viral strains and ideally for a longer period of time. An unknown challenge that has yet to be overcome. But a study published this week in the Journal of Virology suggests we may be getting closer.
Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute presented results that agreed with their candidate Universal flu vaccine, tested on animal models. Administered as a spray, intranasally, this vaccine, which incorporates viruses from 8 influenza strains, elicits a strong immune response in mice used as a model, and provides protection after virus exposure. Blood tests showed that four weeks after administration the animals had developed antibodies and when they were exposed to the pathogen they were protected from developing the infection. The new work builds on previous clinical studies that have shown similar promise by the same team led by Ted M. Ross, director of global vaccine development at the Cleveland Clinic.
Them Experts hope to start clinical trials on humans within 1-3 yearsNaoko Uno, a virtuoso psychologist, who led the new study explained. “We want to make sure that our vaccine can cover multiple times, not just one, and protect against all strains that affect humans.“Scientists have identified four types of influenza viruses, but 2 of these, influenza A and influenza B, pose the highest risks to humans. Seasonal vaccines include viruses from 3 or 4 circulating types of those viruses. But because the virus changes so quickly, choosing which ingredients to include in vaccines becomes a guessing game.
How does it work?
Researchers in the Ross lab designed their new vaccine candidate using a technique called Cobra (Computational Broadly Reactive Antigens). They began by collecting thousands of genetic sequences of infectious disease strains, over several periods, from an online database. They then digitally analyzed the sequences to identify which amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, are conserved across proteins and over time. Researchers therefore identify groups of proteins for different subtypes. To develop a more advanced vaccine, Naoko Uno explained, the team identified 8 proteins associated with a sustained immune response. “We were able to narrow down this list, to say that these are the best ones to cover several periods and elicit a broad reaction,” Uno continued “It’s like creating a great album.”
These big hits include viruses from influenza viruses H1 and H3, Uno lists, but also viruses from viruses H2, H5, and H7, which are strains that most people do not have antibodies against. Some of these have pandemic potential, Uno said, also pointing to recent developments in the H5N1 avian virus. “We have shown that the H5 vaccine is present in many clades,” revealed the researcher. Now Ross is leading his team’s efforts to improve the candidate’s testing in the United States, and Uno is collaborating with researchers in India and the European Union for an international effort. Cobra’s strategy, the group’s scientists explained, is not limited to the detection and packaging of influenza viruses. It can be used to analyze mRNA or other biomolecules, or explore to develop vaccines for viral diseases such as Dengue. “It can be used in many viruses.”
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