Stanford Medicine researchers say they have made an “astonishing step” towards a universal vaccine that could protect humans from a wide variety of viruses and allergens.
In a statement released this week, researchers said a vaccine that could protect against any pathogen had long been a Holy Grail of medicine.
“But Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators have taken an astonishing step forward in that quest, surprising even themselves,” the statement said.
“In a new study in mice, they have developed a universal vaccine formula that protects against a wide range of respiratory viruses, bacteria and even allergens.
“The vaccine is delivered intranasally – such as through a nasal spray – and provides broad protection in the lungs for several months.”
Study lead author Haibo Zhang said, if translated into humans, the vaccine could replace multiple jabs every year for seasonal respiratory infections and be “on hand” if a new pandemic virus emerged.
The study, published in Science, showed that vaccinated mice were protected against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii (common hospital-acquired infections), and house dust mites (a common allergen).
“The new vaccine doesn’t try to mimic any part of a pathogen; instead, it mimics the signals that immune cells use to communicate with each other during an infection,” Stanford Medicine said.
“This novel strategy integrates the two branches of immunity — innate and adaptive — creating a feedback loop that sustains a broad immune response.”
The full report is available here.
