China provides advance immunity against the new Corona variant

China provides advance immunity against the new Corona variant

Researchers in China have developed a powder vaccine that is administered as a single dose by inhalation directly into the lungs to produce an effective immune response. The vaccine can present multiple antigens, which means that a single dose can provide broad protection against many respiratory viruses, according to what was published by the New Atlas website, citing the Nature journal.

Less impact on virus transmission

The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to advances in vaccine technology, including the now-known mRNA vaccines, most of which are given by injection into the arm or muscle, producing humoral immunity, i.e. involving body fluid and relying on antibodies to neutralize the virus but not immunity. Cellular. While injectable vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality rates, they have less impact on transmission rates of the virus.

Early control of infection

Producing an immune response in the mucosal tissues of the airway is critical for early control of infection and can generate robust and long-lasting immunity with rapid recall responses. To address problems associated with injectable vaccines, researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a single-dose inhalable dry powder vaccine.

Microspheres and nanoparticles

The innovative vaccine platform combines biodegradable microspheres with protein nanoparticles, the surface of which can display multiple antigens, substances that cause the immune system to produce antibodies. The presence of more than one antigen broadens the range of viral protection provided by the vaccine and causes a broad immune response. For example, it could include antigens from different SARS-CoV-2 strains or SARS-CoV-2 in combination with another respiratory virus vaccine.

Humoral and cellular immunity

Once the antigen nanoparticles are released, the lungs can absorb them efficiently. Because nanoparticles are released sustainably, they provide long-lasting humoral, cellular, and mucosal immunity with a single inhaled dose. The researchers tested their powdered vaccine in mice, laboratory animals, and non-human subjects, and observed robust antibody production and a local T-cell response, demonstrating effective viral protection.

Clinical translation coming soon

“The components of this small nanosystem use natural proteins and approved polymeric materials, and the efficacy and safety of the vaccine have been systematically studied in non-human primates, indicating its great potential for clinical translation,” said Wei Wei, one of the researchers in the study.

From a manufacturing point of view, the fact that the vaccine is a dry powder means that it does not require refrigeration, which significantly reduces storage and transport costs and makes it suitable for use in areas with no or limited refrigeration facilities.

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