A universal flu vaccine has been invented
...protecting against all serotypes and strains of influenza A virus
Researchers from the Jenner Institute at Oxford University and Vaccitech, a commercial offshoot of this academic institution, have developed a universal vaccine against influenza type A – the most common and causing the most severe form of infection. The novelty is designed to protect against all serotypes and strains of the virus, including swine, avian and human influenza, and avoids the miscalculations of traditional vaccines.
The main problem of creating traditional influenza vaccines is the relative unpredictability of what the next strain of the virus, which changes annually, will turn out to be. Often, when the vaccine has already been produced and the virus has mutated, the commercially released vaccine is not as effective as expected.
Conventional vaccines, in order to stimulate the immune response, turn to the surface proteins of the influenza virus like hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. Vaxitek has relied on the capsid proteins of the virus – nuclear protein and matrix protein 1, which remain almost unchanged regardless of mutations. This approach makes it possible to counteract a variety of subtypes of influenza, and with the initiation of the production of influenza-specific T-lymphocytes CD4+ and CD8+, and not antibodies. In addition, this implementation of the vaccine reduces the severity of the infection and shortens the duration of the disease.
Image: CDC.
Existing influenza vaccines are effective only among 30-40% of people aged 65 years and older, as the immune system becomes weaker over the years. The novelty, it is believed, will increase this indicator and provide protection for a period of two, three or even four years.
In the UK, the recruitment of 500 volunteers, mainly people over 65 years of age, who will take part in Phase IIb clinical trials has begun. One half of the subjects will receive both an experimental influenza vaccine and a regular seasonal one, the second – only the latter. If everything goes well, the research will move into phase III: Vaxitek is interested in partnering with companies with sufficient resources.
According to WHO estimates, flu epidemics annually cause 3-5 million cases of severe forms of this disease, of which 250-500 thousand are fatal.
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