Researchers have developed a breakthrough vaccine technology called “proactive vaccinology” that trains the immune system to recognize specific regions of various coronaviruses, including those that are not yet known. This technology will allow vaccines to provide protection against a wide range of possible future coronavirus pandemics. This approach contrasts with traditional methods of preparing for viruses before they emerge by using “quartet nanocage” nanoparticle structures to attach viral antigens and promote immune responses. This proactive approach could revolutionize the way vaccines are developed against emerging threats and accelerate responses to future pandemics.
Researchers have developed a new vaccine technology and tested it in mice to show protection against a variety of coronaviruses, including some that have not yet been identified, that could cause future disease outbreaks. The effectiveness has been demonstrated.
This is a new approach to vaccine development called “proactive vaccinology,” in which scientists develop vaccines before disease-causing pathogens emerge.
The new vaccine works by training the body’s immune system to recognize specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1. SARS-CoV-2and some that are currently circulating in bats could jump to humans and cause pandemics.
The key to its effectiveness is the specific virus Many related coronaviruses also appear in the areas targeted by vaccines. Training the immune system to attack these areas provides protection against other coronaviruses not included in vaccines, including those that have not yet been identified.
Immune response and research goals
For example, new vaccines do not contain the SARS-CoV-1 coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, but they still induce an immune response against that virus.
“Our focus is to develop a vaccine that protects us from the next coronavirus pandemic, so that we can be prepared before the pandemic starts,” said Dr. said author Rory Hills. report.
He added: “We have developed vaccines that provide protection against a variety of coronaviruses, including those that are still unknown.”
The results were published in a magazine natural nanotechnology.
Rory Hills, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Cambridge’s School of Pharmacy, wants to have a vaccine ready to protect us from the next coronavirus pandemic before the pandemic starts.Credit: Jacqueline Gargett
“We don’t have to wait for new coronaviruses to emerge. We know enough about coronaviruses and the different immune responses to them that we can start developing protective vaccines against unknown coronaviruses now.” said Professor Mark Howarth, lead author of the report, from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Cambridge.
He added: “During the last pandemic, scientists did a great job of quickly producing a highly effective coronavirus vaccine, but the world remains in the grips of a massive crisis with a huge number of deaths. We need to look at how we can make it even better in the future, and pre-manufacturing vaccines is a strong part of that.”
The new “quartet nanocage” vaccine is based on structures called nanoparticles, spheres of proteins held together by incredibly strong interactions. Chains of different viral antigens are attached to the nanoparticles using a new ‘protein superglue’. These chains contain multiple antigens, which train the immune system to target specific regions common to a wide range of coronaviruses.
Collaborative efforts and innovation
This study demonstrated that the new vaccine elicited a broad immune response, even in mice previously immunized with SARS-CoV-2.
The new vaccine is much simpler in design than other broadly preventive vaccines currently in development, and researchers say it should accelerate the move to clinical trials.
The basic technology they developed could also be used to develop vaccines to protect against many other health problems.
The research involved a collaboration between scientists at the University of Cambridge. oxford university, California Institute of Technology. It improves on previous research by a group from the University of Oxford and the California Institute of Technology to develop a new all-in-one vaccine against the coronavirus threat. The vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the California Institute of Technology is expected to enter phase 1 clinical trials in early 2025, but its complex nature makes it difficult to manufacture and could limit large-scale production.
Traditional vaccines contain a single antigen to train the immune system to target a single specific virus. It may not protect against a variety of existing coronaviruses or newly emerging pathogens.
Reference: “Active Vaccination Using Multiviral Quartet Nanocages to Elicit Broad Anti-Coronavirus Responses” Rory A. Hills, Tiong Kit Tan, Alexander A. Cohen, Jennifer R. Keeffe, Anthony H. Keeble, Priyanthi By NP Gnanapragasam, Kaya N. Storm, Annie V. Rorick, Anthony P. West Jr., Michelle L. Hill, Cy Liu, Javier Gilbert Jaramillo, Madiha Afzal, Amy Napier, Gabriel Admans , William S. James, Pamela J. Bjorkman, Alan R. Townsend, Mark R. Howarth, May 6, 2024. natural nanotechnology.
DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01655-9
This research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
