A new vaccine which provides long-term immunity to COVID-19 and multiple influenzas strains from a single dose is a step closer.
Cornell University researchers in the United States have developed a new vaccine platform they say could provide more robust, longer-lasting protection.
“People might only need the vaccine every five years, or depending on how the next trials go, maybe it will provide lifelong immune protection,” study first author Richard Adeleke said.
Mr Adeleke, a PhD candidate, said researchers found no visible signs of illness in mouse models after vaccination with the new platform and no cellular damage to tissues.
“One of the big moments was when we started achieving 100 percent survival and lack of clinical disease in all of the vaccinated mice following challenge with either SARS-CoV-2 or influenza virus,” he said.
Mr Adeleke said while current vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, and influenza were both safe and variably effective, there remained room for improvement.
He said COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were highly sensitive to cold temperatures, posing challenges for distribution and administration in regions without reliable cold-chain infrastructure.
“Meanwhile, current influenza vaccines, with efficacy often below 50 percent, struggle to protect against the numerous strains of the virus.
“Both vaccines also offer relatively short-lived immunity, requiring annual – or even more frequent – booster doses, making it harder to administer.”
Study senior author Hector Aguilar-Carreno said the new vaccine addressed these shortcomings.
Professor Aguilar-Carreno said the new technology made it possible to have dual, triple or more viral targets in the same vaccine.
“Having multiple viral targets in the same vaccine makes the vaccine manufacturing process easier and cheaper,” he said.
Professor Aguilar-Carreno said the fact the new vaccine may not be needed every year, could increase vaccine participation, reduce the burden on health systems, make vaccination less expensive and more accessible and ultimately save lives.
Read the full study: Replication-incompetent VSV-based vaccine elicits protective responses against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus.
